Sleeping With the Enemy
by Roni Black
Summary: COMPLETE - EPILOGUE ADDED! "There is one person in the world who hates me more than anybody else... my husband." Marriage Law story. Draco/Hermione.
1. The News

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, absolutely nothing except for the plot and maybe later an OC. Everything else belongs to the most adorable J. K. Rowling.

**A/N:** I named the fic like the movie, Sleeping With the Enemy, with Julia Roberts (my favorite actress) but it doesn't mean it's also the same plot. So don't expect an abusive husband and a woman running away.

**Background:** Voldemort has been killed. It's the summer after graduation, and Hermione is staying at the Burrow as usual. She, Harry and Ron are going to start their Auror Training on November. Harry is with Ginny; Ron is with Luna; Hermione is with no one. At the moment.

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter One**

"Hermione, dear, can you come in here for a moment?"

Seventeen-year-old Hermione Granger stopped on her way down the stairs to the back yard to look at Mrs. Weasley, who was looking extremely serious.

"What is it, Mrs. Weasley?" she asked, rather hesitantly.

"Somebody wants to see you in the kitchen," Mrs. Weasley replied in a low voice.

"Oh, all right," Hermione said with a shrug, making her way to the kitchen. Whatever it was that people wanted to tell her, she wanted to make it last as long as she could, so she wouldn't have to go outside soon. Everyone else was outside, starting a Quidditch match; Ron had managed to convince her to play as a Chaser, but she was afraid to. Hermione had a bad feeling about this; she knew she was going to mess up and humiliate herself in front of everyone.And yet, she hoped they wouldn't laugh at her. After all, you have to suck at something. Quidditch was the only game Hermione wasn't very good at – she had even managed to get better on chess.

She opened the kitchen door and walked in – and then she froze.

"Hello, Hermione," said the old man who was sitting next at the kitchen table.

"P-Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said, slightly out of breath, "hello."

"Sit down," Dumbledore offered.

"T-thanks," Hermione stammered and sat down, not taking her eyes off him. _What the hell is he doing here – and why does he want to see me? Maybe there's something wrong about my NEWTs? Maybe they're suspecting I cheated on one of the exams? But they know me, I would never do that, Dumbledore knows I wouldn't –_

"You're probably wondering what I'm here for," Dumbledore said.

"Kind of," Hermione admitted. "I understand you're here to see me, Sir?"

"Yes, I am. You will be eighteen in about two weeks, am I mistaken?"

"No, Sir. I will be."

"Now, Hermione... After the former Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had been replaced, I have warned the new Minister, Charles Payton, that the Wizarding World is in great danger, and one of the reasons is the purity of blood issue. Purebloods think they're worth more than half-bloods or Muggleborns, and Voldemort has always known how to take advantage of that and increase the mutual anger. Now, if some day, a new dark wizard appears, he will probably follow Voldemort's ideas about the purity of blood. Therefore, I warned Payton, we must fight this phenomenon in every way possible.

"Payton took my advice, and I am quite happy on that. He's now working very hard on that issue," Dumbledore went on.

Hermione listened carefully and wondered why he was telling her all that.

Dumbledore sighed. "Normally, I watch my tounge more carefully. But apparently, the afternoon I offered Payton this, I was not careful enough and I said 'in every way possible'. I should have seen this coming, of course – but I didn't. I am afraid Payton took these words very seriously."

Hermione frowned. "How seriously, Sir?"

"That is the point," Dumbledore replied heavily. "Payton has decided on a new law, which states very clearly that in every Pureblood family, at least one child must marry a Muggle-born when they're eighteen, and vice versa."

Hermione's eyes widened and her attention was now completely fixed on Dumbledore. "Excuse me?"

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded grimly. "And since you are a Muggleborn, an only child, and eighteen in a week... I'm afraid you will have to marry a Pureblood."

"You mean – " Hermione stammered, "you mean I have to find a Pureblood man to marry?"

"Well – not quite. You see, Arthur Weasley and I have already searched amongst the Pureblood families – which are not numerous, by the way - and realized that there is only one Pureblood wizard who is about your age, who doesn't have a girlfriend or a wife yet, and whom we can trust."

"Who?" Hermione asked, holding her breath. _Please let it be someone I can live with, please, let it be someone I can live with!_

"Draco Malfoy."

Hermione gazed at Dumbledore. Her mouth opened slightly, but no voice came out.

"I know you and him don't really like each other," Dumbledore said quietly, "but he's not as bad as you think. His mother, Narcissa, and I are in a good relationship now that Lucius is dead. She has affected him enormously, Hermione. He's changed. Don't worry, you'll be all right."

Hermione swallowed hard. She could not believe her ears. _You'll be all right? _Was that all he had to say? This was not about spending one day with someone she hated. This was about her whole life being ruined!

"He – he's really the only one?" she asked in a small voice.

"Well, actually, there are Crabbe and Goyle. They are Purebloods and not seeing people – for some reason," Dumbledore added in a slight smile. "And there is Theodore Nott, who is a Pureblood as well and not seeing anyone, too. However, Arthur and I have agreed that the best option for you was Draco. You are welcome to disagree with us, though."

Hermione felt her whole world falling apart around her. Getting married at the age of eighteen was the last thing she had planned to do. She was much, much too young to get married. She didn't feel ready. And worst of all, she would be marrying Draco Malfoy. The person who hated her more than anyone else on the planet, just for being a Muggleborn. She would have to spend the rest of her life with him. Probably have children with him... Her eyes started to well, but she forced herself to calm down. She would not cry in front of Dumbledore.

"Has anyone told Malfoy yet?" she asked, hardly breathing while trying desperately not to cry.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied. "Narcissa told him. She says he was astonished and not quite happy, but – "

Hermione snorted bitterly. "'Not quite happy'? I think the right expression would be 'furious and disgusted by the idea'."

"...but he understood the situation and realized there is no other choice," Dumbledore went on, as if he hadn't been interrupted. "And so, he accepted. You two will get married in two weeks, on your birthday. By the way, I have given permission to Miss Ginny Weasley to stay at home until the wedding, instead of going back to Hogwarts for her seventh year tomorrow. She will go back after the wedding."

"Two weeks?" Hermione held her breath again. She had two weeks to say goodbye to everything; say goodbye to her normal life, and get used to the idea of marrying someone who hated her and would probably make her life a living nightmare. And on her birthday, for crying out loud. On her birthday!

"Does it have to be so soon?" she asked, now unable to stop the tears.

"I'm afraid so, according to Payton," Dumbledore said quietly. He reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Hermione, and I'm sorry this is such a shock to you. If there were anything I could do... I have already tried everything. I'm sorry."

Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Calm down,_ she told herself. _Sobbing like a four-year-old isn't going to help you now._

"Maybe I can divorce him after a month or so," she suggested hopefully.

"I've talked to Payton about it. The only way you can divorce him will be to find another Pureblood who is not married, which, I'm afraid, is rather impossible at the moment. Well, in fact, you can marry Crabbe or Goyle..."

Hermione grinned a little. "Thank you for making all those efforts for me," she said politely and tried to smile.

"You're welcome, Hermione. If thee is ever anything you need from me, don't hesitate to ask for it, all right?"

"All right," Hermione answered and nodded.

"Well, goodbye for now," Dumbledore said and got to his feet. "I'll see you at the wedding, Hermione. Goodbye." With a loud _pop_, he was gone.

"Goodbye," Hermione said to the thin air in front of her.

--

"Hermione – I am so, so, so sorry."

Ginny looked at Hermione closely. "I wish there were something I could do," she said. "But hey," she added, trying to comfort her, "Dumbledore said he'd changed. Maybe he had changed? I mean, Voldemort's dead, Lucius Malfoy is dead, now Draco doesn't – "

"Don't call him Draco!" Hermione snapped.

"Why?" Ginny asked in wonderment.

"Because he has never called me Hermione, that's why. And he has never called you or any of your brothers by your first names. He always called you 'Weasley'. And he has never called Harry by his first name, too. I'll bet he keeps calling me Granger even after we're married!"

Ginny bit her lip and didn't reply. Hermione sat up and sighed deeply. "What did Harry and Ron say?" she asked in a low voice.

"They was shocked, of course," Ginny answered, "and not in a good way. Everybody went crazy, especially Ron, and Harry seemed to be more... I don't know, I think he feels sorry for you more than anything."

"Great," Hermione muttered. "Just great."

Ginny sighed again and put her arm around Hermione's shoulders. "Just remember," she said, "that we're all here for you. Always. No matter what happens, we're here. And – "

At that moment, Ron burst in, his whole face lit up in anger, and Harry ran in after him, obviously trying to calm him down without any success."

"Hermione," Ron said immediately, "I just want you to know, that I know there's something I can do – "

"Ron," Ginny started to say.

"I know there's something I can do so that you won't have to marry a Malfoy," Ron said furiously, "and I'm gonna do it. Hermione," he said, went straight forward and took her hand in his, "will you – "

"Ron, no!" Hermione yelled and jumped off the bed. "No, you will not propose to me now and break up with Luna, do you hear me?"

"But Hermione – then you won't have to marry Malfoy!"

Hermione took a deep breath. "Look," she said, "you and I were together last year, and it was great, but it's over. We are not starting this up again. You're with Luna now, and I know you love her, and you are not breaking up with her because of me. You know you don't want to marry me, because we don't love each other that way anymore."

"But, Hermione," Ron insisted, "if we get married, maybe our feelings will awaken again. And anyway, you'll probably be better with me than with Malfoy! You can't marry him – you just can't!"

Hermione sighed again. "Ron, do you think I want to marry him? I hate him. But I must do that nevertheless. I cannot accept such a sacrifice from you, Ron. You are going to marry Luna, like you were meant to do, and I will marry Draco Malfoy, because there is no other choice."

She sat down on the bed, leaned her head on the wall and closed her eyes, feeling even more horrible than before. Ginny, Ron and Harry sat down beside her and hugged her. She smiled at them through her tears and knew she had to remember, even if it wasn't much of a consolation at the moment: she would always have her wonderful friends who would support her. Always.

--

**A/N:** Well?? I'm not so sure about this story yet, but I think I can make it interesting even though the idea is not very original. Actually, I meant this story to be Ginny/Draco, but then I changed my mind. So let me know what you think! By the way, I'm going on the camp I've told you about this Sunday. I'll be back on July the 24th. I hope I can update at least once more by Sunday, but if I don't – goodbye everyone, and have a great summer.

Love, Roni.


	2. The Meeting

**A/N:** OMG!!! I only posted one chapter less than 24 hours ago and I already have 24 reviews!!! God I have 24 reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cries You guys made me feel so special! Here's chapter 2... Enjoy...  
  
**Sleeping With the Enemy  
  
Chapter Two**  
  
"Hermione, have you thought where you and Draco are going to live after the wedding?" Mrs. Weasley asked a week later, during breakfast.  
  
Everybody fell silent and turned to look at Hermione, who turned a deep shade of crimson. "Well, I haven't really thought this through," she said, "I've been trying to enjoy the few days I still have until then."  
  
"Oh, but darling, you and Draco must consider that," Mrs. Weasley went on. "Narcissa Malfoy sent me an owl this morning. She's inviting you to come to the Malfoy Manor, to discuss the details."  
  
"I'll go with her," Ron said immediately, "in case Malfoy tries to hurt her or something."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," Mrs. Weasley snapped. "She's going to be his wife, he won't hurt her."  
  
"I think that's exactly why he _will_ hurt her," Ron insisted. "Obviously he doesn't want to marry her more than she does to him. If he kills her, he won't be forced to!"  
  
"I think I should go," Ginny said, "because I can warn Malfoy that if he ever hurts Hermione or causes her pain of any kind, he will see what happens to someone who gets to be on the wrong side of my – "  
  
"That's enough out of you!" Mrs. Weasley raised her voice. "None of you is going. If Hermione wants, I may go with her, because I know Narcissa. We have been good friends since Lucius was killed. Therefore, I'm the only one who can actually help and not make things worse."  
  
"It's kind of hard to make things worse," Harry commented in Ginny's ear.  
  
"All right," Hermione said after thinking for a moment. "Mrs. Weasley, I would love it if you come with me." Turning to her friends, she added: "I'm sorry, but I think she's right. You'll only make things worse than they already are. I'll tell you everything when I get back."  
  
"So, right after you finish your breakfast," Mrs. Weasley instructed, "you go upstairs and wear something suitable."  
  
"Can't I go in these clothes?" Hermione asked, looking at herself. Since it was a sunny day, she was wearing khaki shorts and a sleeveless, white blouse.  
  
"Of course not, honey. You need something more appropriate, so nothing too short and exposing."  
  
Hermione went upstairs and stood in front of her trunk, unsure what to do. She kneeled and started to look through her clothes. What kind clothes had Mrs. Weasley meant when she said "appropriate"? Was she supposed to wear a dress?  
  
"Hermione, what did you pick?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she walked into the room. "What, you're not dressed yet?!" she asked in shock as she saw Hermione kneeling in front of her trunk.  
  
"No, I don't know what to wear," Hermione answered. "What did you mean when you said 'appropriate'?"  
  
Mrs. Weasley pushed her aside gently and started going through her trunk. "Hmm... not that... not that... _definitely_ not that... well... there, that'll do" she cried in victory as she took out a pair of long, dark-blue pants, a white sweater and a vest that matched the pants, and handed the clothes to Hermione.  
  
"But I'll look as if I'm going to a meeting at work or something," Hermione complained.  
  
"It's a good thing," Mrs. Weasley replied firmly. "Now get dressed, honey, put on some make-up and do your hair. We're leaving in fifteen minutes."  
  
Fifteen minutes later Hermione ran downstairs, wearing the fancy clothes, eye-liner and lipstick, with her hair loose (she hadn't had time to do it), feeling like a total idiot.  
  
Mrs. Weasley grabbed her arm. "Come on! We should have been there already! Do you want to use Floo Powder, or is it okay to Apparate?"  
  
"Let's Apparate," Hermione suggested quickly.  
  
"Bye, everyone," Mrs. Weasley called behind her shoulder.  
  
"Bye," everyone called and waved. With a loud _pop_, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley Disapparated.

----  
  
Hermione's first impression of the Malfoy Manor was that it was BIG. It was simply huge, almost as large as Hogwarts, with wide-open gardens all around it. Hermione couldn't help but remember that _only two people lived in it_. Why the hell did they need so much space?!  
  
"Let's go in," Mrs. Weasley said and knocked on the huge iron gates.  
  
A house-elf appeared immediately. He recognized Mrs. Weasley at once and invited the two of them to come in. They walked in after him, towards the great doors of the Manor. While walking, Hermione's eyes were wide-open with amazement and admiration. The garden was simply beautiful, and obviously, very well taken care of. One thing bothered her, however: not human hands had done this lovely job. House-elves had. Slaves.  
  
_If I'm actually going to live here, I'll FORCE Malfoy to pay them!_ She swore to herself.  
  
As soon as they walked inside the Manor, which was beautiful, but cold- looking, with very high ceiling and stone walls, a tall, pretty, blond woman came towards them. "Hello, Molly," she said heartily, and the two of them kissed each other on the cheek. "And you must be Hermione," the woman added as she turned to Hermione and stretched out her hand for a shake. "It's a pleasure meeting you. I am Narcissa Black Malfoy, Draco's mother."  
  
Hermione gave a half-hearted smile as she shook Narcissa's hand. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy," she said politely.  
  
"Please, call me Narcissa," the woman grinned. "I will call Draco in immediately. Draco!" she called towards the stairs.  
  
"What?" came the answer, by a voice Hermione had not heard in more than two months, and had hoped with all her heart she would never hear again.  
  
"Our guests are here!" Narcissa called.  
  
"They're your guests," Draco yelled back, still not bothering to come down the stairs.  
  
_Oh, yes. He had definitely changed A LOT,_ Hermione thought bitterly. _Totally different than he used to be.  
_  
"Draco, come here," Narcissa raised her voice. "We are all waiting for you."  
  
"Not now, Mom."  
  
"Don't make me come up there and drag you all the way down here by the ears, Draco!" Narcissa said dangerously.  
  
A loud groan came from upstairs. "All right, all right, I'm coming," Draco called. Hermione heard his footsteps as he left his room and walked towards the stairs. He then started going down. Hermione first saw his sneakers, then his jeans, then his sleeveless, light-green shirt, and then, finally – his face, the same face she had wished never to see again.  
  
"You could have at least worn something appropriate," Narcissa scolded him, and Hermione was surprised from her tone, which resembled Mrs. Weasley's very much.  
  
"Why? It's not like anyone _important_ is here," Draco snapped. "Hi, Mrs. Weasley," he said apologetically, as if saying 'I didn't mean you, of course'.  
  
Mrs. Weasley nodded at him and smiled. Narcissa, however, looked most unsatisfied. "You should watch your mouth when you're talking about your fiancee!" she scolded him again. "Now say hello. _Politely_!"  
  
"Hi," Draco muttered, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Hi," Hermione replied, narrowing her eyes at him. Oh, she hated every part of him, from his oiled, platinum-colored hair to his white sneakers.  
  
"Good. Now let's all sit down and enjoy a nice cup of tea," Narcissa suggested as she walked towards the living room. Everyone else followed.  
  
There were two comfortable-looking armchairs and a long, dark-green couch. Narcissa sat immediately into one of the armchairs and Mrs. Weasley sank into the other one. Obviously, it had been planned so that Draco and Hermione would have to sit together on the couch. They both twitched their faces as each of them sat at the far end of the couch, as far away from each other as they could.  
  
Two house-elves appeared, carrying trays with cups of tea. They all drank quietly, until Narcissa broke the silence: "What's the date of the wedding, again?" she asked.  
  
"September the 19th. It's my eighteenth birthday," Hermione answered gloomily.  
  
"You're not even _eighteen_ yet?" Draco snorted. "How did you fit into the same year as me then? I was eighteen last _February_."  
  
"You should be thankful that my birthday is not on February, too," Hermione replied angrily, "because according to that stupid marriage law, we have to get married on my eighteenth birthday. If I had been born on February, we would have been married for seven months already, and probably both dead of frustration, so shut up."  
  
"Did you hear her? She's telling me to shut up at my own house!" Draco called loudly, looking around as if searching for supporters.  
  
"Well, it's going to be my house too, apparently," Hermione snapped back.  
  
"Oh, so you do want to live here! That's great!" Narcissa cried happily. "Well, I'd better start looking for another place."  
  
"Excuse me?" Hermione said in fright. "You mean you won't be living here with us?"  
  
"Of course not, sweetheart!" Narcissa laughed. "A young couple should live on their own at first. I will only interrupt. No, three days after the wedding I'll be gone, at the very most. I really must start packing, then."  
  
Draco glanced at Hermione, and his expression turned frightened as well. "No, Mom, you won't interrupt us at all!" he cried. "Stay with us here. Please?"  
  
"I'm not going to argue on that," Narcissa announced. "All right, now that we've settled that, let's move on to other technical parts. Draco and Hermione, I will give you my bedroom, it's the largest one in the house. Molly and I will go and buy a double bed and everything else, of course."  
  
"I'm not going to sleep in the same room with _her_," Draco snapped. "And most surely not in the same bed!"  
  
"Oh, you've just broken my heart," Hermione replied coldly.  
  
"Oh, but don't you know?" Narcissa's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Know what?" Draco asked impatiently.  
  
"You two will have to sleep in the same bed," Mrs. Weasley said.  
  
"Excuse me?" Hermione cried.  
  
"But hasn't Professor Dumbledore told you, Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley asked.  
  
"Told me what?" Hermione asked nervously.  
  
"Oh, and I forgot to tell Draco!" Narcissa cried, clapping her hands. "Well, I'm sorry, you two, but you must know this. Since you both agreed to get married, Dumbledore has informed the Ministry on that. They do that to every couple who is marrying due to that law – you're not the only ones. So now, you two are magically connected."  
  
"What do you mean, we're magically connected?" Draco demanded.  
  
"It means that if you sleep at the same house, you must sleep in the same bed together. And if you eat at the same time and place, you must eat together from the same table. And if you sit at the same room and there's a couch there, you must sit on it together. That is all, but it's valid for the next ten years. After that, they believe you'll get to like each other enough so you'll do that on your own."  
  
Draco and Hermione both gazed at her, speechless and livid. Draco pulled himself together first: "You know it'll take much more than ten years to get us to actually like each other," he said nastily.  
  
Hermione ignored him. "What will happen if we don't do those things, Narcissa? For example, what if we sleep in different beds?"  
  
"If you do that once, you'll get a warning. Next time, the Ministry will make sure you'll both lose your jobs," Narcissa replied peacefully. "So I don't suggest you break these rules."  
  
"I can't believe I'll have to share a bed with Granger," Draco muttered. "And speaking of Granger, will you keep your maiden name?" he asked, giving Hermione another nasty look.  
  
"I would love to, actually – "Hermione began.  
  
"You can't," Narcissa interrupted. "The law states clearly you must change your maiden name."  
  
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed.  
  
"So, I think we've settled down all the details," Narcissa said happily. "One last thing – you two will have to kiss on the ceremony, so you'd better practise now."  
  
"WHAT?" Draco yelled.  
  
"I'm not kissing him! Not now, not in the ceremony and not any other time!" Hermione prtested.  
  
"Fine, you don't have to kiss now," Mrs. Weasley said. "Just keep in mind that you will have to kiss at the wedding."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes desperately and got to her feet. "Goodbye, then," she said warmly to Narcissa, who smiled and shook her hand again.  
  
"Bye, Narcissa," said Mrs. Weasley and kissed her on the cheek again. "See ya, Draco."  
  
"Bye, Mrs. Weasley," Draco said.  
  
"Say goodbye to your fiancee!" Narcissa scolded.  
  
"Bye," Draco muttered.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes impatiently once again, and wondered how many times she would have to do it in the future. "Bye," she muttered back. Then she and Mrs. Weasley went outside and Disapparated.

----  
  
**A/N:** So yeah, I've managed to update before camp, and it's even pretty long, isn't it? Hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for the great, numerous reviews, I love you! Bye!  
  
Roni.


	3. The Wedding

**A/N:** I'm back!!! I came back this morning. Unfortunately, I'll be gone again on August 1st until August 6th, but it's only five days... I hope we'll be okay. Anyway, it's so great to be back. I didn't have time to write more chapers at camp, but I could surf the net from time to time, and every time I had a chance to do so, first thing I did was to check the reviews. I was so flattered by them – you guys are so sweet, and I love you all. I enjoyed camp tremendously, but I also missed home very much, so I'm really happy to be back.  
  
**Sleeping With the Enemy  
  
Chapter Three**  
  
"Mom, let me go!"  
  
"But we haven't finished yet!" Narcissa caught Draco roughly by the shoulders and forced him back onto the chair. "Your hair is all messy and the wedding is in two hours, which means we must be there in one hour. I need to work on your hair and I haven't even started working on mine, so don't make things harder."  
  
"But I don't even want to go to that stupid wedding!" Draco whined. "I don't want to marry her. I won't! I won't!"  
  
"It's not up to you." Narcissa attacked his hair with a comb.  
  
"This is ridiculous!" Draco raised his voice. "You can't force me to marry her. I hate her and she hates me, we'll kill each other and it'll be your fault, because you forced me into this!"  
  
"You know perfectly well that it wasn't me who suggested that marriage law," Narcissa scolded him. "Besides, you have already understood the situation and agreed not to make a fuss. Let Hermione enjoy her wedding day without ruining it to her, and try to allow yourself to enjoy it as well, because you are only going to get married once."  
  
"Are you trying to make me feel worse?" Draco demanded as Narcissa moved her fingers in his hair, straightening it for the last time. "You don't have to remind me that my wedding day will be the worst day of my life. And do you really think Granger is going to enjoy it more than me? She hates me. She hates the thought of marrying me. She's sure she's ruining her life."  
  
"Then you prove her wrong," Narcissa answered and started for the door. "I have to get dressed now."  
  
"But she's _not_ wrong!" Draco shrieked. "She _is_ ruining her life – and mine! She has probably always thought that when she got married, it would be out of love and not a law. And so have I. But now we have to marry someone we hate who hates us back. Isn't that called ruining our lives?"  
  
"Why do you hate her so much, anyway?" Narcissa asked. "She hasn't done anything to you."  
  
"I hate that type of people," Draco muttered. "All that 'oh-my-God-I-got-an- A-minus-what-am-I-going-to-do' bookwarmish, disgustingly-kind Gryffindor. That voice of hers: 'Oh, I know! I know, let me answer!' "he mimicked a sqeaky voice. "I hate such people."  
  
Narcissa frowned. "Look, Draco, complaining and insulting your future-wife is not going to help you right now. You are marrying Hermione Granger, and you'd better get used to that idea. And I'm warning you, Draco, don't you dare giving her a hard time. You will treat her right, do you hear me?"  
  
"Yes, Mom," Draco groaned, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Very well then. I'm going to change, and then we'll go." She exited.  
  
Draco leaned back and sighed. The ceremony was to start in two hours, which meant that in three hours from now, at the very most, he would already be married to the one person whom he hated more than anyone else, and who hated him back just as much. And there was nothing he could do about it.

----  
  
"You can still regret this, Hermione," Ron said in a low voice as they watched Hermione walk around the room in her wedding dress. "My offer is still valid."  
  
"Ron – please," Hermione sighed. "I feel bad enough already, all right? Please don't make me feel guilty as well."  
  
"It's okay, Hermione," Harry said. "If Dumbledore said Draco had changed, I'm sure that he had."  
  
"I wish I could be sure as well," Hermione replied. "I met him, and he wasn't any different than he used to be. I couldn't see what Dumbledore had meant at all, but I sure hope he'd been right nevertheless. Otherwise, I'm doomed."  
  
At that moment, the door opened and Ginny, Luna, Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Granger and Narcissa walked in.  
  
"Wow!" Ginny exclaimed. "Hermione – you're so beauiful."  
  
It was true. Hermione was charming in the wedding dress she had picked with her mother. All five of them came to hug her. "Are you all right, honey?" Mrs. Granger asked.  
  
"I'm all right," Hermione answered and nodded slightly.  
  
"Draco is in the other room," Narcissa said, looking a little nervous.  
  
"Okay," Hermione said, shrugging.  
  
"I just want you to know, Hermione..." Narcissa began hesitantly, and Hermione noticed how embarrassed she was, "I want you to know that I'm very happy you'll be my daughter-in-law. And I'm very happy about this marriage, even though I know you're not, and all I can do is hope that one day you'll feel like me."  
  
Hermione smiled at her. It wasn't much of a consolation, but it comforted her a little. She felt a bit more courageous and reasy to cope with what she needed to.  
  
Mrs. Weasley opened the door and peered outside. "I think it's time we went back in," she said. "The pianist is about to start playing, and everyone else is already sitting down."  
  
"It's okay," Hermione said. "You go in. We'll be here, we'll be okay."  
  
Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger hugged her before they went back inside. Harry and Ron nodded and went after them.  
  
"Hermione?" Luna said softly.  
  
"Yeah," Hermione said, trying to sound as natural and cool as she could.  
  
"It's time," Ginny said.  
  
"Yes. It's time," Hermione said. "I'm all right, really. You can go."  
  
Luna went in first, holding hands with Ron. Harry and Ron were best men, since Draco had no friends who could do it. Ginny gave Hermione one last look and went inside, took Harry's hand and went down the aisle.  
  
Hermione knew it was her turn. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. Draco was waiting for her at the far end of the aisle. Taking a deep breath, Hermione stepped out of the room and stood at the other end.  
  
The music changed and everyone stood up, looking at Hermione. Hermione gritted her teeth, raised her head up and walked down the aisle. Every step made her regret more and more, but she didn't stop until she reached Draco. Standing in front of him with her teeth still gritted, she noticed no muscle in his face was moving, but he was dying to scream how he hated her and didn't want to marry her. She felt the same way.  
  
"Dearly beloved," the Minister said as everyone sat down, "we are gathered here today to join this man – "  
  
Draco narrowed his eyes at Hermione.  
  
"– and this woman – "  
  
Hermione glared at Draco in loathing and disgust.  
  
"– in Holy Matrimony." The Minister turned to Draco. "Do you, Draco Malfoy, take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love, honor, comfort her and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"  
  
Draco sighed and closed his eyes. "I do," he answered in a low voice.  
  
The priest turned to Hermione. "And do you, Hermione Granger, take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love, honor, comfort him and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live?"  
  
Hermione looked at the floor, bit her lip and didn't answer for a moment. Then she pulled herself together and nodded slightly. "I do."  
  
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," she heard the Minister saying, and felt tears threatening to flood her eyes. She struggled them with all her might. She would not cry in front of Malfoy. She would not give him any chance to make fun of her.  
  
"You may kiss the bride," the Minister told Draco.  
  
This was the moment they had both dreaded. They now had to kiss – kiss in front of all those people, and pretend they actually cared about each other.  
  
Draco glanced at Hermione. She was obviously waiting – reluctantly, but she had no choice. Just like him. He had to kiss her, now. Everybody was waiting. But he didn't want to. He hated her. It was disgusting... thinking of kissing her made him shiver. He didn't want to. He wanted to be anywhere else, just not in this hall, marrying Hermione Granger, standing in front of her with everyone waiting for him to kiss her.  
  
But it was reality, and Draco had no choice but doing it. He took a step forward and slowly lifted her veil, casting it behind her head. She lifted her chin and looked at him straight in the eye. He took a deep breath and slowly, very slowly, leaned in.  
  
He felt her breathing quicken as he tilted his head a little, his lips mere inches from hers. He closed his eyes, not wanting to actually see her while kissing her. He paused for a moment, trying to linger as long as he could, but as he realized there was no point, he gave up and pressed his lips against hers.  
  
She actually tasted better than he had thought. He felt her hands on his shoulders as he put his on her waist and continued to kiss her. He didn't use his tongue, of course – he didn't want to. Or did he? Of course he didn't... it was Granger. But she tasted really, really good...  
  
No. No way. And yet, as they kissed for another moment, Draco felt a little sorry it would be his only chance to kiss her. Because after that, they were definitely not going to ever kiss each other again.  
  
Then he realized he was kissing Hermione Granger and actually enjoying it and thinking of kissing her again in the future, and he quickly pulled away and took two steps back.  
  
Hermione looked at him for a second with a weird, unclear look in her eyes, and quickly looked away. He offered her his arm and she took it, and without giving each other another glance, the two of them walked back up the aisle.

----  
  
**A/N:** It feels so good to write again. Hope you enjoyed it. :-) I know it was short, but I didn't sleep at all last night and I'm dying to get some sleep. I'll update as soon as I can.  
  
Love,  
  
Roni.


	4. The Way You Are

**A/N:** I've been just looking through that new NAF pages (it's a new feature of , including stories highly recommended by readers) and I found two of my stories there: this one and Against All Odds. I can't tell you how flattered I am. Thank you so much!  
  
**Chloe:** She couldn't, because Harry and Ron already have girlfriends. Harry's with Ginny, Ron's with Luna. It's explained in Chapter 1.  
  
**Sleeping With the Enemy  
  
Chapter Four**  
  
Draco sighed and looked out of the window at the sunset. Soon it would be night time, and the sun would set down on his first day as a married man. He was married – he couldn't believe it. He had always planned to get married at the age of twenty-four or twenty-five, after he finished studying and got a good job. Then he would marry someone he loved and who loved him back. Not someone who hated him so intensely.  
  
His own wife hated and despised him more than anyone. He now had to cope with that situation. What's more, he hated her back. Could anyone ever imagine him marrying Hermione Granger of all girls? The only girl who was as bad as her was probably Ginny Weasley. She was a Pureblood, but she was a Weasley. But on the other hand, Ginny wasn't one of the trio he had hated so much in Hogwarts.  
  
Now that he was married to Hermione, did he have any chance of ever being happy again?  
  
_Probably not,_ he told himself. _Not unless we fall in love with each other, which, of course, will never happen. So I'm doomed to spend the rest of my life with her. I'll probably end up like all of those frustrated husbands who drink fire-whiskey in the Hog's Head and never sleep at home. Are we allowed to cheat on each other, or is it also part of that idiotic 'magical bonding' thing? Because if we're not, I'll probably not have sex again until I die. You know, most people are afraid of the day they die. I think it's actually going to be a great day for me!  
_  
"Draco!" he suddenly heard his mother's voice from downstairs.  
  
"What?" he called back.  
  
"Come and have dinner with us! We're waiting for you."  
  
"I'm not really hungry," he called.  
  
"You don't have to eat with us, but you must sit with us at the table," Narcissa shouted.  
  
"Why?" Draco had never been able to do something his mother told him to without arguing with her first.  
  
"Draco!" Narcissa warned.  
  
"All right, all right, I'm coming," Draco sighed and went downstairs. As he walked into the dining room, he saw six or seven suitcases of all shapes and sizes lying around and raised his eyebrows. "What's that?"  
  
"These are all of Hermione's stuff," Narcissa answered. "After we eat, you two will take them upstairs to unpack, and you will help her, Draco, do you hear me?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Draco muttered. "How many clothes do you have, anyway?" he shot at Hermione, looking around at the suitcases.  
  
"It's not just clothes, Malfoy," she shot back. "It's also everything else I need."  
  
"For example?" he teased.  
  
"Pictures, jewels, books..."  
  
"Books!" Draco cheered. "How could I forget! You're probably going to fill up this entire manor with your books, aren't you? We won't be able to make a step around the place without looking down first, in fear that there might be some stupid book of yours underneath our feet."  
  
"Clever," Hermione answered sarcastically.  
  
"Why are we eating, anyway?" Draco complained as they sat down around the table. "Wasn't there enough food at the wedding?"  
  
"Don't you ever stop complaining?" Hermione asked impatiently.  
  
"No," Draco muttered.  
  
"We're not eating too much. Just a snack," Narcissa said.  
  
They ate silently for ten minutes. Even Draco ate a little. Then Narcissa yawned dramatically. "Well, I'm tired," she said and got to her feet, "and tomorrow's a big day."  
  
"Why?" Draco asked.  
  
"Because tomorrow she's leaving," Hermione said quietly.  
  
_"Tomorrow?!"_ Draco's jaw dropped in shock.  
  
"Yes, tomorrow," Narcissa replied. "I'll be living with the Weasleys for a while, and move out when I find another place."  
  
"You'll be living with the _Weasleys_?" Draco said, twitching his face. "In that... _Burrow_ of them?"  
  
"You got a problem with that?" Hermione asked angrily.  
  
"Well, bloody hell I do!" Draco answered, just as angrily. "She's my mother and I don't want her living with those – "  
  
"Draco, hold your tongue," Narcissa ordered. "This is not something to argue about. I'm not asking for your permission. Now you two, go upstairs and unpack. Draco, help her get the suitcases upstairs."  
  
"Upstairs to your bedroom?" Draco asked.  
  
"It used to be mine," Narcissa corrected him. "Now it's yours and Hermione's. I'm sure you'll like it. Have fun unpacking," she said on her way out of the dining room.  
  
"Where will you sleep tonight, then?" Draco called desperately after her.  
  
"In your room!" Narcissa called back. "And don't forget to take all the stuff out of there and move them to your new bedroom, too!" Then the sound of her footsteps faded away.  
  
Draco sighed angrily, caught a suitcase in each hand and started dragging them towards the stairs. Hermione followed him with one suitcase.  
  
"I'll ask the house-elves to do that," Draco said as they got to the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"No way," Hermione said immediately. "They're not even getting paid here. You're not forcing them to drag suitcases twice their size up all these stairs."  
  
"What are you saying?" Draco asked suspiciously.  
  
"We're going to pay them from now on, you know," Hermione informed him. "Either that, or we're setting them free."  
  
"Excuse me?" Draco narrowed his eyes.  
  
"You heard me," she said determinedly. "If we keep the house-elves, they will get money, and holidays, snd sick leaves and pensions and everything else they ask for. Am I making myself clear?"  
  
Draco looked furious. "Listen, you, my fortune is not endless, and I'm not going to spend it on six house-elves' salaries and sick leaves and pensions, do you hear me?"  
  
"We don't have to have six of them, then," Hermione answered. "One will be definitely do the job."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous," Draco snapped. "Just because you're a member of this _spew_ thingy – "  
  
"It's not _spew_," Hermione said impatiently. "It's S – P – E – W! Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. And I founded it, thank you very much. And for your information, this is my house too now, and in my house no house-elf will be a slave. We're eighter paying them, or setting them free. Your choice."  
  
Draco grabbed the suitcases furiously and stomped up the stairs. He was so angry that he stumbled three times before he got to the second floor. He heard Hermione stumbling as well, but didn't bother to turn around to see if she was all right. He hated this woman. Entering his life without an invitation, breaking into his house and changing everything as if she owned the place.  
  
He knew she wasn't happier about this than he was, and she probably felt the same way, but he didn't care – he was too angry. He climbed up two more floors, almost running, until he reached his mother's former bedroom, opened the door and stormed in.  
  
He immediately saw that everything had changed here. His mother's bed was gone, and instead stood a king-sized double-bed with green and silver bedsheets at the center of the room. A new green-and-black rug (_at least the colors are good_, Draco thought) covered the floor. The walls were bare. Narcissa must have taken off all the pictures.  
  
He threw the suitcases on the rug. Hermione did the same and started for the door.  
  
"I'll get the rest of the suitcases," he said sharply, and almost pushing her out of his way, left the room.

----  
  
Hermione slowly started to unpack. Normally she would have been really angry, at least like Draco was, but this room – which was now hers – scared her too much. It was too dark and cold. The ceiling was almost as high as in the living room downstairs, and the bare stone walls made Hermione shiver. The green and silver all around her made her feel as if she were forced into becoming a Slytherin herself. And she would have to sleep here, she realized in horror. Every night, with the Slytherin prince, Draco Malfoy. Her husband.  
  
_Aaaaargh!!!  
_  
She suddenly turned angry all over again. Why? Why had she had to marry this horrible creature, who hated her more than anyone? Why she? Why not someone who deserved a scum like him – Pansy Parkinson, for example?  
  
She opened the huge dark-brown wooden wardrobe, and saw it was empty and divided into two halves. Good. She would pick half of it, so the pervert's clothes wouldn't touch hers. She took the left half and started taking clothes out of her suitcases and placing them inside.  
  
Draco appeared at the door again, carrying two more suitcases. He threw them inside, and with another furious glance at Hermione, left again.  
  
Hermione opened another suitcase to find the pictures she had had on her former bedroom walls. She was happy to find them – the stone walls made her shiver. She drew out her wand and made the pictures hang themselves on the walls. They were paintings of some famous Muggle artists, and two of them were paintings she herself had made once. She knew Draco would hate all the paintings and especially hers, but she didn't care.  
  
Draco finally came back with the last pair of suitcases. He cast them at the floor and threw another look of hatred at Hermione.  
  
Hermione decided she would not beg for his help. If he didn't want to help, he could go. She kneeled next to the third suitcase and opened it. To her surprise, Draco kneeled on the other side without a word, and helped her take some stuff out of it.  
  
It made Hermione very embarrassed, because in this suitcase happened to be some very feminine stuff, like bras and underwear and pantyhose, along with hair creams and tampons and other terribly embarrassing things. Hermione felt her face go red. How could she have forgotten what this suitcase held?  
  
Draco stopped and withdrew from the suitcase. "Right, so, I'll just try another suitcase," he said and dove for another one. Hermione nodded without a word.  
  
She was actually surprised that Draco hadn't acted like a total pervert and started teasing her about her bras or something.  
  
And she was still embarrassed as she continued unpacking, not daring to look at him.  
  
"Nice swimsuit," Draco commented quietly as he threw her blue bikini at her direction.  
  
Hermione stared at him. "Uh – thanks," she mumbled. She started feeling stupid, so she turned back to look at the suitcase.  
  
Now she was wondering... had Draco really changed, like Dumbledore had said? Only a few minutes before, she'd been ready to swear he hadn't. But now... perhaps she'd been wrong? Perhaps he had changed, and it was just a little hard for him to deal with the change?  
  
_I have the rest of my life to find out._  
  
----

**A/N:** Tell me what you think. :-)


	5. The First Night

**Sleeping With the Enemy  
  
Chapter Five**  
  
That night, Hermione couldn't sleep.  
  
Her worst enemy was lying beside her, fast asleep for the last two and a half hours. After all, it was his house. He was used to the coldness of the stone walls all around him. Hermione hated this manor, which was her home. She hated sleeping in that Slytherin bed, next to the disgusting creature who was her husband. When they had been awake, she thought he was a bit nicer than usual, and even started to believe he really had changed. But now she went back to hating him with all her might, as usual. This had been the worst birthday ever.  
  
How can you sleep when your life is totally ruined?  
  
This was her wedding night, after all. She had always pictured her wedding night as the most wonderful night of all, which would be the perfect beginning to a life of happiness with her husband. Now she knew that nothing could be farther from reality. This night was going to be horrible, just like the other nights that were soon to follow.  
  
_**Flashback**_  
  
_Draco and Hermione stood on either side of the bed, staring at each other. Each of them knew how much the other didn't want to sleep in the same bed. But they also knew they had no choice, if they wanted to keep their jobs.  
  
"You know what, I'm actually not very tired," said Draco, whose eyes were red from tiredness. He took a quick glance at his watch. It was 1:00 A.M., and he was exhausted.  
  
Hermione gave him a doubting look.  
  
"So how about you sleep for four or five hours, then I wake you up and sleep instead?" Draco suggested, already knowing the answer.  
  
"Nice try, Malfoy." Hermione narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. "I need more than four or five hours sleep, so don't you try to persuade me."  
  
"Really? Then what would you do if we actually married out of love, and we'd be doing it all through the night, what would you do then? You wouldn't get more than two hours sleep."  
  
"Oh, shut up, Malfoy." Hermione cast him an angry look. "You make it sound so disgusting. I'm not even going to answer you, because I can never picture you and me actually in love with each other."  
  
"But you know, this is our wedding night," he commented.  
  
"I know. So?"  
  
"So don't you know what married couples do on their wedding nights?" Draco snickered.  
  
"I do know, but it's not going to happen with us, since we hate each other. Remember, Malfoy?"  
  
"When will you stop calling me Malfoy, anyway?" Draco asked. "I'm your husband now, and you're a Malfoy too."  
  
"You don't have to remind me that," Hermione snapped. "What do you want me to call you – Draco? I hate that name."  
  
"Well, I hate the name Hermione too. So? I have to call you that, since you're not a Granger anymore."  
  
"For your information, Draco, the name Hermione comes from Greek Mythology. Hermione was the daughter of Helena, the most beautiful woman on earth."  
  
"Oh, and I guess that makes you very proud of your special name," Draco sneered. "Is your mother's name Helena?"  
  
"Yes. My father said she was the most beautiful woman on earth in his eyes, so they named me Hermione. They were both into Greek Mythology."  
  
"How touching," Draco said indifferently.  
  
"See? I can't call you by your first name. Not as long as you're so disgusting," Hermione raised her voice angrily.  
  
"That breaks my heart," he replied brutally. "Now, look here. It's already 1:15 A.M., and we're both exhausted. Neither of us is willing to give up sleeping tonight, and we must sleep in the same bed, so let's do it now. We'll have to do it sooner or later, anyway."  
  
"Fine," Hermione growled. She opened the closet, took out a nightgown and headed for the bathroom.  
  
"Where are you going?" Draco demanded.  
  
"To change, you moron," she shot back, "you don't think I'm going to change in front of you, do you? At least there's one good thing about this room – it has its own bathroom. Too bad I have to share it with you."  
  
"Where am I going to change, then?" Draco snapped.  
  
"It's your problem," Hermione replied impatiently. "Guess you'll have to wait till I come out of the bathroom." She slammed the bathroom door behind her.  
  
She came back three minutes later, dressed in a white, kind of revealing nightgown. Draco and she gazed at each other.  
  
"Why are you wearing only boxers?" she demanded.  
  
"I sleep in boxers. Got a problem with that?" he answered. He was still staring at her. For some reason, she found herself staring back. He was wearing very short, black boxers, and the thought she would have to sleep in the same bed with him dressed like that made her shiver.  
  
"What are you looking at?" she scolded as she made her way to the bed, throwing her clothes on the chair.  
  
"Nothing," he said, tearing his eyes off her and getting into bed. He lay down with his back towards her. She sighed and lay down beside him, as far away from him as she could. She turned around so she wouldn't have to see him.  
  
This was going to be a long night.  
  
**End Flashback**  
_  
Draco opened his eyes to find Hermione sleeping in front of him. They had probably tossed in their sleep, so they were now face to face. The blanket rim was just below her chest. Draco watched her for a second – she looked peaceful, for a change. With a deep sigh, he got up.  
  
He didn't lie to himself. He knew Hermione hated the fact they were married just as much as he did.  
  
But neither of them could do anything about it.  
  
_So maybe we should just accept that,_ Draco thought. _If we're going to be stuck together for the rest of our lives, anyway, maybe we should try to make the best out of it.  
_  
He didn't like the thought of becoming friends with Hermione. But would it be better to remain enemies forever? They were married, and there was nothing they could do about it. They didn't have to be close, but why not at least try to be nice?  
  
_Yes,_ he decided. _I'll do it. None of us is enjoying the situation as it is. So we should try to change it.  
_  
He brushed his teeth and wore his normal clothes. When he got back to the bedroom, he saw Hermione was already awake. As he saw her, all his wish to become friends with her was gone.  
  
"Good morning," he muttered.  
  
Hermione didn't bother to answer. She just flashed him a look full of hatred as she walked into the bathroom.  
  
_Or maybe the situation is good enough the way it is,_ Draco thought.

----  
  
"We have to eat together, you know," Hermione said.  
  
"Yeah, I know," Draco snapped. "Come on, let's get down."  
  
They went down to the dining room. Narcissa was there, obviously waiting for them. She stood up the minute they came in.  
  
"What's up, Mom?" Draco asked.  
  
"Good morning, you two," Narcissa said. "You slept well, huh? It's already nine!"  
  
"I fell asleep at around four in the morning," Hermione muttered.  
  
"Why?" Narcissa asked worriedly. "Were you cold?"  
  
"No. I just couldn't sleep," Hermione answered. Narcissa had been so nice to her, she didn't feel like telling her she hadn't been able to sleep because her worst enemy had been sleeping next to her.  
  
"Dumbledore was here this morning," Narcissa commented as Hermione and Draco sat down, five chairs from each other.  
  
"What?!" Draco's jaw dropped. "What did he want?"  
  
"He wanted to see you two," Narcissa said grimly. "He had some big news for you. But you were asleep, so he had to go. He told me to tell you the news instead."  
  
"What's the news?" Hermione asked at once.  
  
"Well, apparently there's been some sort of a misunderstanding," Narcissa began. "You see, Dumbledore tried to talk to Payton once again about this marriage law, and he found out..." She paused,  
  
"What did he find out?" Draco asked. "Did he find out that we can get a divorce? Right _now_? Without finding other people to marry?"  
  
"No," Narcissa answered, shaking her head. "Sorry, but no. You see, he found out that to prove the efficiency of this marriage law, there's another part of the magical connection that you two have. Payton thinks that the couples have to be as close to each other as possible, and what makes couples close more than anything else?"  
  
"Getting them divorced?" Draco said.  
  
"Funny," Hermione snapped at him. "Somehow, I think not. Well, what makes couples close?" she asked Narcissa.  
  
"Why, having a baby together, of course!" Narcissa replied solemnly.  
  
Hermione almost fell off her chair. Draco looked as though he had been thunderstruck.  
  
"I knew you two wouldn't like it, but that's the way it is," Narcissa said. "Sorry, but you have no choice. In three months from the day of the wedding, Hermione must get pregnant."

----  
  
**A/N:** Another cliffhanger... but I have to go now. Lots of you asked about taking the suitcases up the stairs by magic... well, I know they could do it with magic, but I thought it would be more interesting if they didn't. Hope I was right.  
  
Love, Roni.


	6. Never Thought I Would Feel That Way

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I was at another camp of five days, and I had the greatest time... Besides, it took me time to write this time. 

**Emma L. Granger and Burgundyred:** Let's copy the explanation from the log-in main page: Help beta test a potential new feature! The new feature codenamed "NAF" is accessible by visiting the normal story listing pages within categories, "list.php", and changing "list.php" to "naf.php".

They wrote it in red letters, otherwise I wouldn't have even noticed. :-) Hope it helped.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: This chapter contains sexual content. Rating of story has changed from PG-13 to R.**

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Six**

_Well, I guess I will have sex again after all._

That was Draco's first thought when he heard his mother's words. Sure enough, it wasn't much of a consolation. But Draco tended to see the bright side. He had thought his life was completely ruined. Well, maybe it wasn't. He was going to have a child. A tiny ray of hope.

Narcissa left the Malfoy Manor just before lunch. Draco and Hermione sat in front of each other and ate their meals without a word, but each of them knew exactly what the other was thinking about.

Suddenly Hermione stopped eating and slammed her fork at the table. Draco was startled and raised his eyes to look at her.

"They can't do that!" Hermione cried in a shrill voice. "They can't force us to get married, have sex and make a baby while we hate each other so much!"

"But they sure are doing it," Draco said coldly and put his knife and fork down. He leaned back, folded his arms and watched Hermione.

"How can you be so calm?" Hermione demanded shrilly. "I know you hate me just as much as I hate you. I know you hate the fact that I'm your wife and that you do not want to sleep with me. How can you be so relaxed, then?"

"Because I have no choice," Draco replied. "If I go nuts like you and start screaming and wailing, will it convince the Minister to let us get a divorce? No. So what's the point of making fun of myself?"

"I'm not making fun of myself!" Hermione shrieked, standing up. "I'm going nuts because I have to sleep with you! And I don't want to sleep with you, because I hate you!"

"Are you a virgin?" Draco asked calmly.

"I beg your pardon?" Hermione gasped.

"Are you a virgin?" Draco repeated.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "This is none of your business, Malfoy."

"I'm just asking so I can know what's all the fuss about," Draco replied. "If you're a virgin, then I understand why you're so mad. But if you're not..."

"Fine. I'm not a virgin. Happy now?" Hermione said furiously.

"Then why are you so upset?" Draco asked. "It's not like it will be your first time. You've done it before, I won't be your first, so what's the big deal?"

"Wh – men!" Hermione snapped, dropping back on the chair. "You don't think sex has anything to do with feelings. You'd sleep with anyone who's got a pretty face and a nice body, and by morning you wouldn't even remember her name. You make me sick!"

"So that's what you think of Weasley?" Draco asked with an amused expression.

"No. Ron is an exception. He's sweet and honest and will never sleep with a girl unless he really cares about her. And he will _never_ hurt a girl's feelings. Unlike you!"

"What makes you think that's unlike me?" Draco demanded. "Have you ever dated me? You don't even know me."

"Oh, come on, Malfoy. I've seen you with all those girls you've dated, I know you've been sleeping around with everyone you could lay your filthy hands on. Man, I don't understand how girls could be stupid enough to sleep with you. They knew you were going to abandon them like you had done to a million other girls before them, and still...!"

"Because they knew you don't have to be in love to have sex," Draco said.

"No, because they thought you were going to treat them differently," Hermione spat. "They thought you would date them after that, but they were foolish. You just moved on to the next girl right away."

"Why do you care so much?"

"I don't. At least, I didn't until now. But now I have to sleep with you, too."

"We can wait, you know, it doesn't have to be today. You can get pregnant any time for the next three months, so it's not that urgent."

"Who are you kidding, Malfoy?" Hermione twitched her face. "This is about our jobs. We'll lose them if I don't get pregnant by then! So as much as I don't like the idea, we may have to have sex more than once until then. Maybe even several times, because a woman doesn't always get pregnant immediately."

Draco made a face.

Hermione made one back. "So we'd better start right away," she said with a scowl. "Tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes. Just sex. Nothing more."

"Even though we both really, really don't want to do it?"

"Yes, because we have no choice."

"Fine." Draco gritted his teeth. "So I have a suggestion."

"Shoot."

"We're a man and a woman, and we both have hormones," Draco said. "If we're going to do it... we should do it right. I suggest we both wear very, very sexy clothes for tonight, and try to make ourselves as attractive as possible. That way, we won't be disgusted when things get heated. Then, I'll pretend you're not Hermione... and you'll pretend I'm not Draco Malfoy... We'll be just a man and a woman who want each other. And that way, our baby won't be conceived while we are both disgusted of what we're doing."

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. Then she opened them again and nodded. "Agreed."

----

It was nearly midnight...

Draco was standing in front of his closet, trying to decide what to wear. Hermione was in the bathroom, already dressing up. But Draco had no idea how to prepare himself for what they were going to do.

_Just pretend you're going on a date,_ he told himself, even though he knew he would never have a date again. _Pretend you're going on a date with this really hot girl that you want to have sex with. You're an expert on these things. What would you wear?_

Draco finally picked a white, clean shirt and dark blue jeans. Then he went to the bathroom next door (the Malfoy Manor had more than fifteen bathrooms) and started styling his hair.

Girls had always loved his hair, Draco reminded himself and ran his hand through his hair again. It was soft and silky, just as he had lately liked it. He didn't put tons of gel in it anymore. Instead, he let it grow until it covered his ears and fell into his eyes, blond and soft and smooth. He looked at himself in the mirror again. His hair was still a little wet, but he liked it. His face was very smooth – no bristles. He put on some aftershave, cast one last glance at the mirror and got out of the bathroom.

_Remember, this is not Hermione,_ he told himself as he made his way to the bedroom. _This is a beautiful woman you are dating. You have just come back from a wonderful first date, and she's staying for the night. So show her what you've got._

There, in the bedroom, near the bed, stood Hermione. Only it wasn't Hermione. It was a beautiful woman who made him shiver with lust. She was wearing a black, silky dress, simple – but very sexy. Her long hair fell all the way down her back in lovely curls. Draco felt his fingers tingling with the urge to touch her hair. The woman's big, chocolate-colored eyes were staring at him, silently begging him to come closer...

And he came closer and closer, until they stood right in front of each other. Very slowly, almost hesitantly, he raised his hand to caress her cheek.

She closed her eyes, savoring the touch. Draco slowly leaned in, and feeling his eyes naturally closing, kissed her lips.

The kiss started soft, but very soon it grew passionate. In between kisses, Draco kept telling himself _this is not Hermione, this is not Hermione_, but very soon he didn't care anymore who she was. All he knew was that he wanted her, right now; as he trailed his kisses down her neck, Draco slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders. The dress dropped to the floor, and Hermione moaned in pleasure as Draco's lips continued their path down. Soon her bra was off; Draco's lips lingered at her cleavage until Hermione grabbed his head and pulled his face up for another kiss as she started pulling his shirt off of him. She let her fingertips explore on his chest, feeling the muscles underneath.

They fell onto the bed, Draco on top, kissing and caressing her as she threw her head back in ecstasy. It wasn't long before the two of them were naked; Draco explored her body with his hands and lips as she did the same to him. He wanted to get to know every part of her, and she seemed to want the very same thing. They rolled on the bed, each trying to take control, until Draco won. He held her tightly beneath him as he kissed her lips once again; she tasted better every time he did. She was like a drug he couldn't get enough of. He savored her lips, her mouth, her tongue, thinking of nothing except for how good it felt to kiss her, until he heard her utter a soft cry and realized they had already begun to make love. Draco was riding waves of passion; heaven was there, he was able to reach out and touch it; and as he did, his body stiffened and he relaxed on top of her.

They held each other close, panting and uttering moans. _It was a dream,_ Draco's mind said. _Having sex with Hermione Granger can't possibly be so good, it just can't._

But it was. It was better than all his past experiences. She was still lying beneath him, eyes closed, breathing hard; her hair was spread on the pillow and her lipstick was completely smudged; she was more beautiful than ever. Draco placed a soft, short kiss on her lips; she opened her eyes and smiled at him. He smiled back.

It was only later when he realized this had been the first time they had actually smiled at each other. Right now, all he knew was that he was exhasted; his eyelids grew heavy and he rested his head in her neck as he drifted off to sleep.

----


	7. The Morning After

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Seven**

Hermione woke up the next morning with a great big smile on her face. She had not woken up like this since she was informed she had gotten an 'Oustanding' in all her NEWTs.

Stretching a little bit, she turned her head to see Draco sleeping beside her. Normally, that would make her flinch in disgust. But not after last night. It had been the most incredible night of her life.

Hermione had only slept with one man before Draco – Ron. It had been great with Ron, it really had. But Draco was something else. With him, she felt complete. She didn't even care he was Draco Malfoy anymore. No one else could make her feel like he had the night before.

She turned and watched the sleeping Draco again. He looked like an angel, with his blond hair, his pale skin and his eyes closed so peacefully. Memories from the night before swept over her, and she couldn't stand the temptation – she reached out and touched his cheek softly. He stirred but didn't wake up.

_I might be carrying his child now,_ Hermione thought with another smile. Surprisingly, it didn't sound like such a bad idea anymore.

She got out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. Standing there and brushing her teeth, she examined herself in the mirror. She was beaming, simply glowing with happines. She had never imagined that she could be so happy after marrying Draco Malfoy.

----

Draco woke up to the sound of running water from the bathroom, still feeling sleepy. He groaned and tossed to the other side. What had happened last night? He tried to remember... Yes. He remembered now... He had slept with his wife. His wife – Hermione Granger.

_No!_

Draco scrambled out of the sheets and sat straight up. _I slept with Hermione?! No! No!!! This could not have happened. It didn't happen! It didn't! It didn't! It's just not possible! I'm Draco Malfoy, why would I sleep with a Mudblood – and what's worse, with Hermione?_

Then he remembered last night, and his face flushed. He had actually _enjoyed_ it. It had been _great_. And while doing it, he didn't even _care_ it was Hermione. He knew it was her, he knew she was a Mudblood, and he _didn't give a damn_.

Why had he done that? Why?

Then he remembered that as well. _To conceive a child. A child who would be both mine and Hermione's. Eeew – eew – eeeeeew!_

It was _disgusting_!

_She may be pregnant at this very moment. With MY child. MY child!_

He got out of bed and opened the door of the bathroom, very impolitely, but he didn't care. He wanted to wash his face and brush his teeth, so that he could relax, feel like human and think straight.

"Good morning," Hermione greeted him happily. _Why the hell is she smiling at me? Does it mean she's actually happy about the disaster of last night?_

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Can I have the bathroom now?" Draco asked impatiently.

Hermione looked a little surprised. "Sure," she said, "go ahead. I'll be out in a minute."

Draco leaned on the wall, folded his arms and watched her actions with narrowed eyes. She washed her face in the sink, then raised her eyes and their gazes met in the mirror.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked.

"Like what?" he snapped.

"As if you're mad at me."

"In fact, I am mad. You're making me wait for so long just to wash my face in my bathroom, of course I'm mad!" Draco shot.

Hermione frowned. "What's your problem?" she demanded. "Why are you so grumpy all of a sudden? You weren't like that last night."

"Don't you mention last night!" Draco yelled. "As far as I'm concerened, last night never happened. You hear me? Never! So you can forget about it as well! Now get out!"

"Hey, don't you dare shout at me. I'm not your servant or anything," Hermione said, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Don't worry, I'm going out right now, I don't want to spend another minute around you. And by the way, you'd better do something about your breath!"

Draco's face went red with anger. "I will if – "he began.

"I know, I know, if I'm kind enough to leave," Hermione said coldly. "Well, consider me gone." And slamming the door shut behind her, she left.

----

When Draco came downstairs a few minutes later, he saw Hermione at the door in her long, black robes. He glanced out of the window. The weather suited his mood perfectly: it was dark, gray and rainy. Fog covered everything, so Draco couldn't even see the garden.

He turned to look back at Hermione. "Where are you going?" he demanded.

"Out," she replied shortly, grabbing her purse.

"What do you mean, out? It's freezing outside!" Draco said, looking again at the storm outside. Lightning flashed, soon followed by a loud thunder. Draco flinched a little, but Hermione didn't even blink.

"As if you really care," she murmured angrily. "Well, I'm off. Have fun on your own."

"But _where_ are you going?" Draco insisted.

Hermione rolled her eyes impatiently. "Well, if you must know, I'm going to the Ministry of Magic to check if they'll be willing to let me to start my Auror Training earlier."

"Why?" Draco demanded.

"Because I want to start as soon as possible, so that I won't have to spend almost three months here with you," Hermione answered sharply. "And by the way, why don't _you_ do the same? Why don't _you_ start working?"

"Well, for your information, I'm starting to work on October 1st," Draco replied arrogantly. "I'm going to run the Department of Magical Transportation."

"Really?" Hermione raised her eyebrows doubtfully.

"Yes."

"_Really?"_ Hermione repeated.

Draco's arrogant smile faded a little. "Well, not on my own," he mumbled, his eyes staring at the floor.

"Then who with?"

"Some guy," Draco mumbled again. "The guy who has been running it for the last twenty years."

"I see," Hermione said.

"But I _will_ run it myself soon. Right after he retires. In about a year or so," Draco defied.

"Oh, okay," Hermione said. "That makes more sense. And how, may I ask, did you get that job? There must have been at least another hundred wizards who wanted it, and every one of them must have deserved it a thousand times more than you did."

Draco made a face at her. "Well, if you must know, my father fixed me that job. He and that guy signed an agreement before I was born. My father had a lot of power at the Ministry then, and he fixed that guy the job. But he made him sign a contract that stated clearly that when my father's son was old enough to get a job, this guy must work with him for a year, and then retire and let him take over."

"I knew there must be something nasty like that," Hermione said. "Well, if you don't mind, I'm not staying here to listen to your father's dirty tricks. I'm out of here. Goodbye."

"When will you come back?" Draco demanded.

"Why do you care?" Hermione shot back.

"Because if you're going to be really late, I'm supposed to know this. Imagine someone asks me: 'Where's your wife?' What will I answer them – 'I don't know'?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't give a damn what you answer. It's your problem. But since you insist, I'm going to the Burrow afterwards. So I might not be back for a long time. If they let me, maybe until the weekend." She turned around.

"Bye," Draco said coldly.

"Bye," she answered and Disapparated.

----

"And the worst thing is," Hermione sobbed two hours later, "is that I might be carrying his child at this very moment. And this thought makes me _sick_! I don't _want_ him to be the father of my baby. I _hate_ him!"

Harry and Ron sat on either side of her. They had their hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her. But none of them knew what to say to her.

"I can't believe I was so stupid to think he had actually changed," Hermione added, wiping her tears furiously. "I don't know what got into me. He hasn't changed a bit. He's still the same arrogant, disgusting, filthy scum the three of us hated in Hogwarts. I'm stuck with him for the rest of my life." Her good mood from the morning had disappeared completely.

"What did they tell you at the Ministry?" Harry asked, trying to distract her.

"There was this really nice witch there," Hermione said, wiping off some more tears. "I told her the truth, and she was considerate and agreed to let me start the Training next week instead of in December. But I'll have to stop for about six months after the baby is born. I'll waste so much time. You guys are so lucky."

Harry and Ron exchanged glances. "Umm – are you sure you're pregnant?" Ron asked.

"I hope I am," Hermione answered sharply, "because I'm not sleeping with him again. I don't care what Payton says. _He_ can sleep with him if he wants. I'm not doing it. I don't care."

"You'll be kicked out of Auror Training," Ron warned her weakly.

"I don't care!" Hermione screeched. "I'm not sleeping with him again! No way!"

"Okay, okay. Whoa. Calm down," Harry said. He patted her shoulder apprehensively. "I hope you are pregnant. When will you know for sure?"

"I'll take a pregnancy tomorrow," Hermione replied bitterly. "It's free at St. Mungo's."

"Why can't you do it at home?" Ron questioned.

"It's much more accurate at St. Mungo's," Hermione said in a low voice. She leaned back and sighed. "Ron – can I sleep over tonight? I really, really don't want to face him again. At least not before I know if I'm carrying his baby or not."

"No problem," Ron replied quickly.

"Does Malfoy know you're staying? Don't you have to inform him?" Harry asked.

"Why? It's not like he cares where I am or if I'm even alive," Hermione snapped. "On second thought, maybe he does care if I'm alive. Probably waiting for the minute I die, so he can celebrate."

Harry chose to ignore that. "But still, shouldn't he know?" he insisted. "He's your husband, after all."

Hermione sighed deeply. "You don't have to remind me that," she said. "It's okay, don't worry. I told him I might stay over, so he won't expect me. Not that he would if I didn't tell him..."

----

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, guys! You're wonderful. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I really enjoyed writing it. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Love,

Roni.

**P.S.:** I have a question. I think that maybe I'll write my next story about James and Lily (I've wanted to try that ship for a long time). There's still a long way before my current story is finished, so don't worry. Just want to hear your opinions. Well?


	8. Not So Bad After All

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Eight**

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?" Mrs. Weasley asked for the thousandth time. "We can help you. Support you if you need. You'll feel good to know that someone is waiting for you outside while you're in there, taking the test."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione repeated, "but I'd rather go by myself. I'll come back right afterwards, I promise."

"All right," Mrs. Weasley sighed and hugged her. "We'll wait here. Good luck, sweetheart."

"Good luck, Hermione," Harry and Ron echoed.

Hermione Apparated to St. Mungo's on her own. While walking to the department, she was breathing hard. She couldn't decide which was worse – being pregnant or not. If she was pregnant, it meant she was going to have the scum's baby. But she would have to do it anyway, according to the law, so maybe it was better to be pregnant now? If she wasn't, she would be forced to sleep with _him_ again. But then again, was it so bad to sleep with him? She had enjoyed it – hadn't she?

_I did,_ Hermione admitted to herself. _But after the way he behaved the morning after, I can't stand sleeping with him again. It's better to be pregnant already. Then I won't have to do it._

"Can I help you?" a Healer greeted her in the entrance to the department.

"I need a pregnancy test," Hermione murmured.

"No problem," the Healer answered. "Have a seat. There's someone inside, you can enter right after she exits."

"Thank you," Hermione said politely and sat down. Trying not to think about the pregnancy, she took a _Witch Weekly_ magazine from the table next to her, leaned back on her chair and started to read.

She didn't read even half a page before a shrill voice startled her: "Oh my GOD! Hermione?!"

Surprised, she raised her eyes to see none other than Lavender Brown coming out of the room, crying her eyes out. Lavender threw herself in Hermione's arms.

"Lavender?! What's going on?" Hermione tried to look her in the eyes, but Lavender buried her face in Hermione's shoulder and sobbed loudly.

"What happened?" Hermione asked desperately. "Is there anything that I can do for you?"

Lavender lifted her head. "Do for me? No! No one can do anything for me anymore. I've ruined my life with my own hands, and it's too late to fix it. You can't help me. No one can!"

"But what _happened_? What did you do?"

Lavender wailed so loudly, that Hermione could hardly understand her. "I'm pregnant!"

"You're _what_?!"

"I know. It's horrible! My life is totally ruined!" Lavender wailed. "But I didn't mean to! I honestly didn't intend on getting pregnant, I swear!"

The Healer came out of the room. "Miss, are you coming?" she asked Hermione impatiently.

"Yes, in a minute," Hermione called over to her and turned back to the sobbing Lavender. "But Lavender – who's the father?"

"Theodore Nott," Lavender said, wiping her nose. "You know, he was in Slytherin and his father was a Death Eater. He broke up with me about three months ago. He – he didn't do it very nicely. He said he hated me and never wanted to see me again. But now I discovered I'm pregnant. With his baby. What am I going to do?" she sobbed again.

"I think you should tell him," Hermione said, patting her head. "He should – "

"Miss!" the Healer returned. "We're waiting for you here!"

"Sorry," Hermione called. "Just a minute." She got up, but continued to talk to Lavender. "I really think he should know. Then he'll probably get back to you and help you raise the baby."

"You don't know him!" Lavender wailed. "He's not Harry or Ron! He's a Slytherin. I was such an idiot to fall in love with a Slytherin. He will never help me. He'll abandon me all over again, and I'll feel even worse. And besides, I don't _want_ him back. I _hate_ him! He's a horrible person, I don't want him to be the father of my baby!"

"Then maybe you should abort," Hermione suggested.

"The Healer said it's dangerous to abort when you're almost into your fifth month," Lavender said miserably.

"Miss!" The Healer at the door raised her voice. "Don't you think you're being a little rude? There are other people waiting, you know! If you don't come here this instant, we'll move you to the end of the line!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Hermione called. She started walking towards her, dragging Lavender along. "Listen," she whispered urgently, talking as fast as she could "I think you should take the risk. You can't raise the baby on your own. And what will you tell the baby when it asks about its father? You must take the risk. And it's not such a big risk as well. Good luck."

She kissed Lavender on the cheek quickly and ran into the room. Only then she realized she had forgotten her purse on the chair. The Healer groaned loudly as she ran back, grabbed it and returned.

Hermione was glad to discover that the Healer was only a secretary and not the actual Healer who did the test. The real Healer was a tall, black man with a great smile that showed two rows of perfect, white teeth.

"Lie down, Miss," he told Hermione pleasantly. She lay down obediently, and he took out his wand and muttered some spell that made her stomach feel funny.

"When did you have sexual intercourse lately?" he asked.

"Two days ago," Hermione answered.

"Without any protection?"

"Yes."

"Did you want to get pregnant?"

Hermione frowned. _Want_ wasn't exactly the right phrase. "Well... it was the purpose," she finally replied. "If I'm really pregnant, it's not an accident."

The Healer gazed at her for a moment, then shrugged and returned to check her stomach. He muttered another spell. Several more minutes passed.

"You're not pregnant," the Healer finally said, raising his eyes to look at her.

Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," the Healer said, shrugging.

"But... isn't it too soon to know after two days?" Hermione asked. "Shouldn't I come back in a few weeks for another test?"

"No," the Healer said, straightening up. "You're definitely not pregnant. We can know whether you're pregnant or not even two minutes after you get pregnant, not just two days. Hope I didn't disappoint you."

"No, I'm all right," Hermione mumbled. She handed him twelve sickles and left.

Walking down the street five minutes later, Hermione couldn't decide if she was disappointed or not. On one hand, this meant she wasn't carrying a child who was half hers and half Malfoy's. But on the other hand, this meant she would have to have sex with him. _Again._

----

That evening, Draco was sitting on the bed in their bedroom and reading the _Daily Prophet_ as Hermione walked in.

"Oh," he said without raising his eyes, "you're back?"

"Unfortunately, I am," Hermione replied coldly and took off her cloak. "Had fun without me?"

"Let's just say I'm not going crazy with happiness to see you back here. Why didn't you stay at that _Burrow_ until the weekend? If not for the rest of your life?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "I hate you," she mumbled.

"Same here," he replied nastily. "So, why are you back so soon?"

"I don't owe you any explanations," Hermione shot back. "I'm back because I live here." She sat on the other side of the bed, took out a book and started reading as well.

"What are you reading?" Draco asked.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. I just thought that if it was a good one, maybe I could borrow it."

Hermione laughed sarcastically. "Yeah. Right. Like I would let _you_ borrow a book of mine."

"Shut up," he said.

"You shut up," Hermione snapped back. "Why did I have to get married to you of all people? Anyone would have been better. _Anyone_."

"Even Potty or the Weasel?"

Hermione gazed at him furiously. "Their names are Harry and Ron, and they would have been a thousand times better. At least they would treat me with respect. At least I like them."

Draco made a face.

"I mean it," Hermione went on hotly. "Anyone would have been better. Anyone. Even anyone from Slytherin – "she paused – "all right, except for Theodore Nott, perhaps."

Draco frowned. "Theodore Nott?"

"Yes. I guess he would have been even worse than you are. And that's saying something."

"Why do you think he would be worse than me?" Draco's eyebrows lifted in interest.

Hermione moved uncomfortably. "Well... I met Lavender Brown today. She's pregnant. With Nott's baby. They broke up about three months ago and she's almost into her fifth month, which means abrotion is a risk, and she can't tell him because she knows he won't agree to raise the baby with her. And what's worse, she doesn't even want him to raise the baby with her, because he's such an awful person and she knows it."

Draco stared at her.

"So... I guess he's worse than you. A little," Hermione added uncomfortably.

"Well, what did you tell Lavender?" Draco asked.

"I told her to abort, of course," Hermione said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "She can't have Nott's baby. She can't, it would be ridiculous if she did, I mean, why should she go into this nightmare? She's only eighteen, she has time for this. And besides – "

"Where'd you meet her?" Draco interrupted.

"What?"

"Where did meet Lavender? You said you met her today," Draco explained patiently, as if he were explaining to a five-year-old. "Where did you meet her? Was she at the Weasleys'?"

"Umm..." Hermione said. She really hadn't intended on telling him so soon. She had wanted to wait with the news for at least a week, to let herself rest. But it was already too late to lie. "Well... I met her at St. Mungo's Hospital," she finally said.

"What did you do at St. Mungo's?" Draco asked, surprised.

"I went for a pregnancy test," Hermione answered heavily.

Draco's eyes grew wide. Hermione could tell he was getting nervous. He swallowed hard. "And?" he asked in a low voice.

Hermione gazed at him. Memories from two nights before flooded her mind... How great it had been with him, how much she enjoyed it and how she didn't care it was Draco Malfoy, because it was hell so good. And then... the next morning. How he had shattered it all to pieces. How he had hurt her. How she just ran away to the Burrow, the only place where she still felt safe.

And then she became angry. Angry for having to go through with all that all over again. She felt her face burn in red as she narrowed her eyes at him. "And, I took the test," she said furiously, "and I'm _not_ pregnant. Which means I'm _not_ carrying your child, and that's good. But it also means that we must have sex. _Again._ And don't worry, I'm at least as steamed about that as you are." She lay down furiously with her back to him and turned off the lights.

Draco stayed in the dark, staring at the direction where Hermione's face had been just a moment before, and thinking... It was shocking, it was a horrible thought, but he actually found Hermione sexy when she was talking so hotly about something. And thinking that, he realized that having to sleep with her again might not be so bad after all.

----

**A/N:** Aaaahhh! I got more than 30 reviews overnight! You guys rock! I love you!!!

Thanks for eveyone who told me to write a Lily/James fic. Don't worry, I'm not starting it until this one is finished and there's a long way to go, believe me – I already have a plot line... So stay tuned.

**Crazy12:** It's great to see your reviews again – your absence really bothered me. :-) I'm glad you're enjoying the story. About your questions: if you read the rules carefully (see Chapter 2), they state that _if Draco and Hermione sleep at the same house, they must sleep in the same bed together. And if they eat at the same time and place, they must eat together from the same table._ Which means they can definitely eat or sleep at different places, and then they don't have to do it together. Hope it's clearer now. :-)

**Alka, Naraq and everyone else who wants me to e-mail them every time I update:** Lots of people have asked me to do it in the past, and I told them all the same thing, so I'll say it to all of you together this time and maybe it will help. I'm really flattered from the fact that you want to be noticed when I update, but I'm sorry – I can't do it. First of all, I'm really busy – I have tons of homework from school (yes, on my vacation! That sucks!), and besides, I won't be able to remember to e-mail everyone who asks me to whenever I post a chapter. So please, if you want to get noticed, all you have to do is register/log in at and put me on your Author Alert list. You can do it at the same place you submit a review. I use this feature as well – and it works great. I hope you're not too disappointed – I e-mailed you this time anyway, but I won't be able to do it again. Sorry.

**Love you all,**

**Roni Black.**


	9. One Day With My Enemy

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Nine**

Three days later, Hermione and Draco were sitting in the dining room and eating breakfast together. Hermione had put a heavy book in front of her, opened it and was reading and eating at the same time. Draco had his eyes on his plate. None of them said a word.

Hermione tried to concentrate on her book. But she couldn't help but thinking: _This is not how I imagined eating breakfast with my husband._

In fact, this was not how she had imagined _living_ with her husband. They hadn't said almost a word to each other since she got back from the Burrow. Hermione couldn't believe it was happening, but she actually missed talking to someone. Anyone. Draco spent the whole time reading, and so did she. She would sit in the long hours of the day, until the night, reading in one of the big, dark, cold rooms. And although reading was her favorite way to spend her free time, she still felt terribly lonely.

"So, when are we going to do this?" Draco's voice broke the silence.

Hermione raised her eyes. "I beg your pardon? Do what?"

"Have sex," he said simply. "We should, you know. You have to get pregnant by December. It's not as far away as you think. We have to do it as soon as possible."

"It can wait," Hermione said, trying to avoid the issue.

"Actually, it can't. You're starting to work on Monday. I'm starting a week later. Then we won't have that much time. We'll both be busy."

Hermione crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "I'm not sleeping with you," she said sharply.

"What do you mean?" Draco said impatiently. "You know the rules. You have to get pregnant soon, or we both lose our jobs."

"I don't care," Hermione lied.

"You don't care about losing the opportunity to ever work again?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows. "You don't care if you'll never be able to be an Auror? You don't care about that?"

Hermione said nothing for a moment. Then she sighed. "All right, I do care. Happy now? I care. I want to be an Auror. But I'm not having sex with you again."

"Then what do you suggest?" Draco said, losing his patience again. "Waiting until you get pregnant by the Holy Spirit?"

"I don't have a suggestion, all right?" Hermione snapped. "All I know is that the Ministry can't force me to sleep with a disgusting, cruel, obnoxious idiot like you. They cannot make me have sex with the one person whom I hate more than anyone else in the world. They cannot make me sleep with you!"

Draco glared at her, but said nothing. Hermione rose from her chair and went to lean against the wall, her back turned to him.

"We don't have a choice," she heard Draco's voice from right behind her. Her lower lip trembled.

Draco closed in. He was standing right behind her. She could hear him breathing.

"You don't have to like someone to sleep with them," he whispered.

"Yes, you do," Hermione said hoarsely, crossing her arms. "I'm not like you. I know you can sleep with any girl, anytime, anywhere. You can go into a bar, find a nice-looking girl, drink a few beers, take her upstairs and have sex with her without even knowing her first name. Well," she added, turning around to face him, "I'm sorry, but I'm not like that. I can't sleep with someone unless I care about him; unless our relationship means something to me."

"Then how did you sleep with me the first time?" Draco demanded.

"Huh?" Hermione's jaw dropped.

"If you can't sleep with someone unless you really like him, how did you sleep with me four days ago?"

Hermione didn't answer. Draco's lips curled into a smirk.

"I knew it," he said. "You did it without liking me. Just as I had told you to do – you pretended I was someone else, just some guy you were attracted to – and frankly, that wasn't too hard, considering how I look – and you slept with me because you wanted to. Not because you had to."

Hermione gazed at him angrily, but it was hard to deny, since every word he'd said was true. But with Draco smirking at her like that, she had to say something. She couldn't let him win an argument.

"Draco, I – "she began.

"Huh? What did you call me?" he interrupted.

Hermione stared at him. "What?"

"You called me Draco," he informed her. "You didn't call me Malfoy. You finally called me Draco."

"Damn," Hermione mumbled.

"Well," Draco said, wearing his arrogant smirk again, "after a week of being married, it's time we started calling each other by our first names. Don't you agree?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll call you Draco from now on. Happy now?"

"Yes," he answered, stretching out his hand for a shake. Hermione hesitated, then shook it.

Now he was looking at her differently, not with that stupid smirk, but with a different look Hermione couldn't figure out its meaning.

"So," he finally said, "doing anything special today?"

"I never do anything special these days," Hermione muttered. "Not until I start my Training. Then I'll have something to do, thank God."

"So how about this," Draco suggested, taking a step forward, "just because it means so much to you that you'll like the person you're sleeping with, we'll spend the day together, and try to pass it without insulting each other with every sentence. Then, maybe by tonight, you'll care about me enough to sleep with me."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something offensive, but changed her mind.

"It's not practical to go to St. Mungo's after every time we have sex," Draco went on. "It's a big waste of time, because you have to wait at least two days before the results are accurate. So I have another suggestion. We have almost a week until you go to work. In this week, we'll have sex every day. Then, on Monday, after work, you'll go to St. Mungo's and take the test. Then we have a much bigger chance that you'll really be pregnant. Deal?"

He stretched out his hand again. Hermione stared at it, hesitating. Finally, she spoke. "Listen... when people have sex so often, they might begin to... develop _feelings_ for each other. So... I need us both to promise that it's never going to happen."

Draco gazed at her. "Don't worry, Hermione. Neither of us will fall in love with the other."

"Good," she said, nodding.

"So... feel like going out?" Draco offered.

"Going where?"

Draco thought for a moment. He didn't know what Hermione liked to do. "Well... I know a great bookstore," he finally blurted.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's a really huge one, too. It's got more than twenty thousand books. They even have a Muggle books section."

"Where is it?"

"Southport Alley. It's called _Silver Books_. Ever been there?" he asked.

"No."

"So we'll take the Underground," Draco said. "Come on, let's go."

----

They sat together in the train, not really knowing what to say to each other. _If anyone's looking at us right now – they would never believe we're married,_ Draco thought. It was a sad thought, but it was a fact.

"I never really understood how Muggles lived without magic," he said as the train stopped in a station.

"Obviously they do," Hermione said. "And quite well. I've lived as a Muggle for almost eleven years, and I can promise you that they have lovely lives."

"Yeah, but no magic?" Draco said, trying to speak quietly so the Muggles around won't hear. "No wands? No charms, no potions? What kind of life is that?"

"It's great, for your own information," Hermione shot back. "And just because they don't have magic, doesn't mean they're inferior to us."

"Of course not," Draco protested, "but – "

"What did you say?" Hermione asked, looking at him in shock.

"What?"

"What did you just say? Did you say Muggles were _not_ inferior to wizards?"

"Oh," Draco said. "Umm, yes."

"And you really meant it?"

"Yeah," Draco said, trying to figure out why she looked so dumbstruck. "What's the big surprise, anyway? It's not like I said something horrible."

"No," Hermione said quietly, "it's just that... well... never mind."

"What?" Draco demanded.

"No, no, never mind."

Draco hated when people did that. "Come on!" he repeated, shoving her.

"All right," she finally said. "You know, before I... married you, Dumbledore came to talk to me. He told me that I had to marry you. And I was... well... not too thrilled, you can say. I guess you weren't the happiest man on earth when your mom told you that as well. So, Dumbledore saw how I felt and he said something like: _He's not as bad as you think. His mother has affected him enormously, and he's changed._ But I – I didn't believe him. And... well, now that you said that..."

"You do believe?"

Hermione looked very uncomfortable. "Don't take it as a compliment or anything," she warned, "but I might be starting to. Because I remember you from Hogwarts as the boy who hated me just for being a Muggle-born, and always called me Mudblood and thought I wasn't worth anything because of my family."

"I didn't hate you just because you were a Muggle-born," Draco protested.

"You didn't? Then what else did you hate me for?"

"I hated you for being a Gryffindor, and best friends with Potter and Weasley. I hated you for being the annoying Miss Know-it-all, always knowing everything in class, always walking around with your nose stuck in a book, always beating me up in tests... I couldn't forgive you for getting higher marks than me. My dad always taunted me about that. He said I should be ashamed of myself if a Muggle-born gets better marks than me. And I believed him. So naturally, you weren't my favorite classmate."

Hermione stared at him. She hadn't expected him to talk to her like that. Like... like they were _friends_.

"And there was another thing," Draco added mischievously.

"What was it?" she asked, getting curious.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Sure I'm sure."

He looked into her eyes. Her big, brown, beautiful eyes. He had never thought of how beautiful brown eyes can be. Brown eyes were... normal. Almost everyone had brown eyes. Blue eyes were special, green were lovely, but brown were... very usual.

Now, however, with Hermione, he suddenly realized brown eyes could be just as beautiful as blue or green ones, and even more. He liked her eyes.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well... the War lasted for two years. Our last two years at Hogwarts. And during those two years, I slowly changed. Like Dumbledore said, it was thanks to my mother. I spent much more time with her when my father was gone, and she affected me. I don't know how much I changed. But I know for sure that I did, enough to..." he eyed her mischievously, "enough to have a secret crush on you."

"_What?!!!"_

"Yes. I didn't like it, of course, so no one ever knew about it, except for Mom. You can be proud – you're the only one I'm telling this to."

Hermione stared at him, too astonished to be flattered. "You had a _crush_ on me?!"

"Yes. In our seventh year. You were going out with Weasley, and I was... pretty angry. That's why I was even nastier to you and him. I hated myself for liking you, and I hated you for being beautiful and capturing my eye, and I hated him for being so lucky to go out with you, and I hated you again, for liking him so much... So yeah. It was another reason for me to hate you."

The train stopped.

"That's us," Draco said, and before Hermione managed to say another word, he jumped up and hurried to the exit.

Hermione stood up and followed him, still amazed. Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin sex god who had been the dream-prince of at least half the girls at school, used to have a crush on _her_. On her, Hermione Granger. Had he just wanted the one he knew he couldn't get, or was it something else?...

----

Hermione stood in the doorway of _Silver Books_, staring all around her. It was a huge three-story store. Thousands and thousands of books filled the shelves from the floor right up to the ceiling. So many books... Hermione knew this was heaven for her. She could stay there for at least a month.

"I knew you'd like it," Draco said softly.

"It's _amazing_," Hermione whispered. The store was so quiet, like a library, and they didn't want to interrupt the complete silence. Hermione kneeled in front of a shelf and started reading the books' titles, mouthing each title silently to herself. Draco walked around, taking a book out and leafing through it, then putting it back on the shelf.

"My mom used to buy me books there," Draco said, and Hermione turned around to face him. He was leaning against the wall with a big, blue book in his hand, his eyes wandering over the pages. "She bought me books every birthday, every Christmas, every holiday. When I was young, we spent almost two hours a day just reading. I remember her sitting on the edge of my bed, reading out loud my favorite stories. These were my favorite hours as a child."

Hermione gazed at him, trying to picture him as a child, listening to his mother read stories to him. When she didn't succeed, she asked: "Do you still read a lot?"

Draco's eyes met hers. "Of course," he said quietly. "I have to read. I've never been able to pass the week properly without reading at least one good book. I can read the same books over and over again, and every time I see them a bit differently."

Hermione's eyes widened. "I'm just the same," she said. "I can read the same book a thousand times. Like you said... I have to read a lot. I never feel satisfied if I pass a day without reading."

They gazed at each other. "I've never met anyone who's like me about reading," Hermione said.

"Neither did I," Draco answered.

A moment later, they both tore their eyes off of each other at the same time, and each of them turned to another shelf.

As Hermione kept reading the books' titles, she suddenly remembered... _I'll have to sleep with him again tonight. I wonder... maybe this time I won't have to pretend he's someone else?_

----

**A/N:** You have to admit it was a longer chapter than usual – almost two times longer! – so it was worth the wait. Anyway, I'm having a blast writing this and reading your wonderful wonderful reviews. And yeah, you got it right: next chapter will include sexual content. I'll update as soon as I can, promise!

**Another Note:** I can't believe one of the reviewers (an Anonymous one) chose the nickname RONIBLACKISAWESOME. Thank you so much, dear reviewer whose name I don't know! You're so sweet!

Love,

Roni.

**Mia:** Do you want the story to end so quickly? LOL, sorry if it's disappointing you, but there's a long way to go before this story is finished. I have big plans, hope I can make them right.

**Lulu:** It's explained in chapter 1... Ron has a girlfriend – Luna, so he can't marry Hermione. Draco is the only Pureblood who counts because he doesn't have a girlfriend. Please see Dumbledore's explanation in chapter 1 for more details. Hope I helped. :-)


	10. Sleeping With My Enemy

**Sleeping With the Enemy **

**Chapter Ten**

Draco and Hermione spent two hours in _Silver Books_, then went for a lunch break at the nearest restaurant. Sitting in front of each other this time, they could not _stop_ talking.

"Are you kidding?! I read this book when I was four."

"It's a great one. I jush wish I could read it again, it was Lavender's and I only read it once."

"You can read it at home, I'm sure we have it somewhere... I'll look it up."

"I saw another great book at that store... _Pride and Prejudice_, a Muggle book. Have you ever read Muggle books?"

"It was forbidden because of my father, but when I was old enough to keep a secret, Mom bought me some Muggle books. She used to read them to me and keep a wizard book next to her in case my father walked in. When she heard his footsteps – I never did, because I was so into the story – she used to hide the Muggle book under the sheets, grab the wizard book, open it somewhere in the middle and read it out loud as if nothing had happened. Then, when he walked away, she always continued with the Muggle books. I think my favorite books at the time were Muggle ones."

"I would have never believed you loved Muggle books," Hermione said, surprised.

"I know," Draco replied. "Can you believe that when I was in Hogwarts, Mom sent me new books every Christmas, Halloween and Easter, and most of them were Muggle ones?"

Hermione stared at him. "No, that's impossible."

"It's a fact," said Draco calmly. "You can ask my mom. But I understand why you can't believe it. I was pretty ashamed of that, so I never told anyone. And just so you know, _Pride and Prejudice_ was really one of my favorites. It's also one of Mom's favorites."

They stared at each other for a while.

"You know," Draco suddenly said, "I would have never believed that I could have such a great day with a Mudblood."

**_BAM!_** Hermione slammed her fork and knife at the table, so hard that it made the whole table shake. Her expression had changed completely. She grabbed her purse and jumped to her feet.

"Hermione, I – "Draco started to say.

"I can't believe you just said that," Hermione said with tears of fury in her eyes. Before Draco could stop her, she stormed out.

"Damn!" Draco cursed. He left some money on the table and hurried outside after her. But she wasn't around. Draco figured she had probably Disapparated.

_Why did I say that?_ He wondered as he let his eyes travel down the street. _Why do I always have to ruin everything just when we start to enjoy each other's company?_

**Q**

Hermione ran upstairs to the bedroom in the Malfoy Manor, tears streaming down her face as she ran. She slammed the bedroom door shut and threw herself on the bed.

She couldn't _believe_ Draco had called her a Mudblood again. She had had such a wonderful time with him on the train, at the bookstore, at the restaurant. It had been so much fun, she had actually began to think that maybe sleeping with him later that day would be good too. Why? Why had he said that? He seemed to be enjoying himself just like her. Why did he have to hurt her like that?

_And why do I care so much?_ Hermione asked herself. When he'd called her a Mudblood in Hogwarts, she was insulted because she used to be very insecure about being a Muggle-born surrounded by Purebloods: Harry, Ron, the Slytherins. Now, however, she wasn't insecure. She knew that being a Muggle-born didn't make her any different than the Purebloods and, in fact, she was a much better witch than most of them.

So why was she so hurt this time?

Thinking about it, Hermione had to admit that she really was hurt. Draco had indeed hurt her feelings. Why? Did she care about him that much?

_Yes!_ A voice in her mind declared. _We had such a great time together today. I haven't had that much fun since I was informed about the marriage. And then, I couldn't even imagine I could have so much fun with Draco... Or even that I'd ever call him Draco, and not Malfoy._

_So now I've grown to care for him, enough to be insulted all over again. This only proves how you can never trust a Slytherin!_

She heard a knock on the door. "Hermione?"

"Go away," she warned. At least her voice didn't shake.

"I need to talk to you," Draco insisted.

"I said go away!" Hermione snapped. "There's nothing to talk about! Now beat it!"

"If you don't let me in, I'll Apparate inside," Draco threatened.

"Oh, and that will make me want to talk to you. Great idea! Go ahead!" Hermione shot back.

"Alohomora!" Draco called, and the door was opened. Hermione rolled her eyes. How stupid could she get? Why hadn't she thought of that?

"Happy now?" she snapped. "You're in. What do you want?"

Draco sighed and walked over to the bed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm still alive, right?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't know what you mean, why don't you explain yourself? Or rather, go out before I get even angrier and draw out _my_ wand?" Hermione felt her face go red with fury and hatred. There he was – standing in front of her as if nothing had happened – asking her if she was okay – as if he hadn't called her –

"Hermione – "

"I have nothing more to say to you," she said, her eyes narrowed. She drew out her wand. "Get out. Now. I mean it."

"Hermione, I came here to apologize!" Draco screeched. "I came here to tell you that I was wrong calling you that! I'm sorry that I hurt you, I wish I hadn't said that, what else do you want?"

"I want you out! Now!" Hermione screamed.

"FINE!" Draco screamed back, getting out of the room and slamming the door so hard, the windows shook and rattled.

As soon as the door was slammed, Draco started to regret. He shouldn't have walked out. He should have stayed... He should have told her that he really was sorry, for the first time in his life, for hurting someone's feelings. He wanted to tell her what this meant. He wanted her to know that if she weren't so special to him, he would not be so sorry...

Because now, he knew. There was no one else in his life he cared for more than Hermione, maybe except for his mother. How had that happened? He had no idea. All he knew was that he wanted to spend a lot of other days like this one with her, talk to her, tell her about himself and listen to her stories, and maybe even – maybe even –

He didn't dare to think of such a possibility now. But he knew he had to make her forgive him right this instant. He turned back, opened the door and walked back inside.

Hermione was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking straight at him, as if she weren't even surprised to see him back. She had a strange look on her face – almost as if – almost as if she had just had the same thoughts as he had. And suddenly, it struck Draco that if she didn't care about him just as much as he cared about her, she wouldn't be so hurt...

And before he knew it, he was hurrying over to her and wrapping her in a hug. And for some reason, she was hugging him back.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her shoulder.

"Let's just forget it," she whispered back. "We have much more important stuff to think about..."

Draco pulled back, staring at her in question.

"You know what I'm talking about," Hermione said, blushing a little. "A baby..."

Draco stared at her for another long moment. She stared back. He lowered his gaze to her lips. Should he kiss her now?...

He didn't dare.

Instead, he sat down next to her and said: "You're right. We can't have a baby if we don't start caring for each other..."

"I think we already do," she said, almost in a whisper.

He looked at her again. "I think you're right," he said in a low voice.

They gazed at each other for another long moment. Draco's mind raged and stormed. _Do it now, do it now!_ A voice demanded. _If you don't kiss her now, you'll regret it... You know you will!_

He heard her swallow hard. _Kiss her, you idiot, kiss her,_ the voice demanded again, almost wailing inside Draco's mind. He collected all his strength. He licked his lips and –

"Want to go to _Silver Books_ again?" he heard Hermione suggest, and felt his heart sink to his underwear. "Now we can Apparate to Southport Alley. I know where it is."

"Okay," Draco replied wearily, taking a deep breath. He was so disappointed, that even breathing was hard. He got to his feet. "Let's go," he said.

And with a loud _poof_, they were both gone.

**Q**

They burst into the bedroom almost eight hours later, panting and laughing. They had just chased after each other up the stairs. None of them was used to acting like five-year-olds again, but it was fun.

"I won!" Hermione declared. She threw her purse on the chair next to the bed and stretched her arms high over her head. "Wow. That was a long day."

"But a good one," Draco said quickly.

"A great one," Hermione agreed. "Wow. I could stay in that bookstore forever. It's the most perfect place I've ever seen. I can't believe how great it is. I'm telling you, I intend to go back there at least once a week from now on."

Hermione threw herself on the bed and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Draco lay down beside her, watching her from the corner of his eye.

"And you know what was even more great?" Hermione went on.

"What?" Draco asked.

Hermione turned her head to look at him. "To tell you the truth, I can't believe I'm saying this... but the fact you were there with me made it even more fun."

Draco swallowed hard.

"I was glad you were there," Hermione said softly.

_If you kiss her now, she won't reject you. You have to do it anyway, you promised you'd do it today! Remember? So go ahead... Kiss her! Just kiss her!_

But he still didn't dare.

He didn't know why. All he knew was that he wasn't afraid of rejection. He was afraid that she'd respond not because she wanted to, but because they had promised to have sex today. After all, he – he couldn't help it, but it was true – he _wanted_ to do this. He didn't know why. He couldn't believe he actually wanted to sleep with Hermione Granger, but he did.

He swallowed hard again and prepared himself, but suddenly, he saw her leaning in. She was coming close. Her lips were mere inches from his. He could smell her perfume – or was it her natural scent? Draco couldn't tell. All he knew was that a moment later, their lips were connected. He wasn't sure who kissed whom, and he also didn't care.

_Take it easy,_ his mind ordered. _Don't scare her. Remember, she doesn't want to do this._ So Draco focused on kissing her. He placed one hand on the side of her face as he leaned more and more into her, kissing her passionately, deeply, hungrily, and she responded just as willingly.

She slid one hand from the sheets to his chest. He felt her hand traveling around on his chest and stomach, going into his robes and starting to take them off, and he smiled into the kiss as he let her pull them off.

Hermione pushed him on his back and leaned over him. She took off his shirt, letting her hands roam his bare chest. Draco watched her, his eyes dark with desire. When he couldn't control himself anymore, he pulled her to him, and as he pressed his lips against hers again, flipped them over and started to unbutton her robes.

They did it more wildly and passionately this time, but with full appreciation of the other's body. Last time, they hadn't had too much of a foreplay before the real love-making. This time, they spent more than ten minutes just kissing and caressing each other, rolling onto the bed, each of them trying to take control of the situation.

"Oh God," Hermione groaned as Draco finally won and pinned her down beneath him. He pressed his lips to her chest and she writhed and moaned loudly. Draco knew she was about to explode, just like him; he let his fingers travel down her body and she let out a loud cry as he touched her in her most sensitive spot.

"Draco, do it now," she begged, throwing her head back and gasping again. "Please..." Draco couldn't take it anymore as well... He leaned in, and while kissing her lips once more, he made them one.

**Q**

**A/N:** Hi everyone! Wow, sorry it took so long, but this last scene took me long to write. Hope it was worth it... wink!

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Most of you have included their answers to my questionnaire on their reviews, and honestly - they helped me. I've saved the answers and they were great. But I'm sorry, I didn't want you to answer in the reviews!!! Reviews are for telling me what you think of my story. I can only blame myself, of course: I didn't know e-mails didn't show up on , and since not all of you are members who can view my address, you couldn't e-mail me your answers. So I apologize, and here is my address - take out the spaces: _roniho1 hotmail. com_ I guess I wasn't clear enough last time when I asked you to e-mail the answers, too... So this time I took off the questions. If anyone wishes to answer, please _e-mail me_ and I'll send the questions to them by e-mail. Thank you for your time and help!**


	11. Another Morning After

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Eleven**

Hermione was getting dressed the following morning when Draco opened his eyes.

"Good morning," he said, grinning.

"Morning," she muttered. She quickly zipped up her jeans and put on a sweater over her sleeveless shirt.

"This was a nice night, wasn't it?" Draco said while watching her, still grinning.

"I guess," she said without looking at him. She fixed her hair and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked.

"I'm hungry, but I can't eat alone, of course. So I'll just wait for you downstairs." She opened the door.

"Hermione?"

"What?"

Draco sat up, frowned at her. "Are you angry or something?"

"No, why?" Hermione asked impatiently.

"Well... it's just... you were much nicer last night," said Draco, and immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say. Hermione's eyes narrowed. She folded her arms and leaned against the door.

"Was I?" she said coldly. "Good to hear."

"Hermione – didn't you enjoy last night? Was there something wrong?" Draco asked. He was starting to get worried. Maybe he had done something wrong. Maybe there was something wrong with his performances!

"There was nothing wrong," Hermione replied shortly. "Can I go down now?"

Draco gazed at her. _What the hell is her problem?_ He wondered. _This time I'm not grumpy, I'm willing to be nice to her. Why is she angry?_

Hermione took his silence as a 'yes'. She turned and left.

Five minutes later, Draco rushed downstairs. He found her in the dining room, expecting him. "What's your problem?" He demanded.

Hermione frowned. Draco knew she was going to give him one of those short, unsatisfying answers. "I won't leave you till you answer me. What's going on?"

Hermione stared at him angrily for a moment, but then lowered her eyes.

"Well, if you must know... I didn't pretend you were someone else last night. I knew it was you. I hope that makes you happy," she added cynically. "I enjoyed it just the way it was, knowing that it was you. I actually _liked_ sleeping with you. So there. I admitted it. You can go tell all your little friends how good you are in bed, so good that even Hermione Granger enjoyed having sex with you," she spat.

Draco gazed at her. "So you knew it was me, why does that make you so angry? I knew it was you as well. I didn't pretend. And about telling my friends... who do you think I'm going to tell this to – Crabbe? Or Goyle, perhaps?"

"I don't know," Hermione shot back. "You probably have some disgusting friends like yourself that enjoy having sex with girls and boasting about how good they are later. Maybe someone like Nott, he probably told you what a good sex Lavender was right after he did it with her and got her pregnant. Well, now you can tell him the exact same thing."

"But Hermione – "Draco sat down next to her, "I still don't understand. So what if you knew that it was me?"

"What do you mean, 'so what'? Last time I pretended you were someone else, so it was good. But this time, I knew it was you, and I liked the fact that it was you, and I enjoyed it more _because_ it was you. The sex that we're having is supposed to be a completely technical baby-making, not something we do because we like it, but because we have to. I'm not supposed to enjoy having sex with the biggest scum of all times. And you're not supposed to enjoy sleeping with a Mudblood."

"Hey – I said I was sorry about that!" Draco protested.

"It's not the point," Hermione answered impatiently. "The point is, if you enjoy sleeping with me, go ahead and enjoy. But _I_ cannot allow myself to enjoy. So I can't be do this. If I start to like you, well... I'll also like the sex."

"Why can't you allow yourself to enjoy?" Draco asked, completely confused.

"Because you're a Malfoy, a Slytherin, and a creep. And I'm a Gryffindor, a Muggle-born and best friends with Harry Potter and the Weasleys. I'm not supposed to like the fact that I'm having sex with someone like you, okay? And I did. That's why I'm angry."

"So what are you saying?" Draco inquired.

"I'm saying we can't be friends. We can't go out to that bookstore or any place else. And we can't be nice to each other. We've got to have the sex. But other than that, nothing."

Draco said nothing.

"We're just too different," Hermione explained. She seemed to feel a little guilty. "It's not going to work. I'm sure you can understand that. After all, you _are_ the world's greatest scum..."

Draco got to his feet so suddenly, that Hermione flinched and stared at him in surprise.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

"I'm not hungry," he said through gritted teeth. "Have fun today. I'll meet you tonight in the bedroom to have our 'technical baby-making'. Goodbye."

**Q**

Draco walked out to the garden, his hands clenched into fists, his whole body shaking with anger. He didn't know why he was so angry. All he knew was that he hated everyone in this damned world. Charles Payton, that idiotic Minister of Magic who thought about this marriage law. Dumbledore, who had to choose him and Hermione Granger to get married. And that horrible Hermione Granger. She was the most disgusting excuse for a witch he had ever met.

And he was stuck with her for the rest of his life. YUCK.

How could he have thought he was starting to _like_ her, to actually _care_ for her? How could he have been happy about having sex with her? Now, he knew, everything was going to be just as disasterous as it had been a week before, when they hated each other with all their might. Yes, she was beautiful, and clever, and witty... Too witty. But like she had said, she was a Gryffindor, a Muggle-born, and Potter and Weasley's best friend... These were all disadvantages, of course. But still... he knew he didn't care about them anymore. If only she weren't so god damned beautiful!

...And if only there was someone he could talk to about this. Anyone.

**Q**

"...so I told him we couldn't be friends," Hermione finished. "I mean, you know. He's Draco Malfoy, the most horrible creature this planet has ever had to suffer. I can't be friends with him. I don't know what I was thinking." She raised her eyes to her silent friends, desperate for an approval. "Right?"

They didn't say anything for a moment. Then – "Sure," said Harry.

"Yeah, sure," Ron echoed.

"After all, he _is_ a total jerk," Hermione went on. "And an idiot. And a scum. And a Malfoy. I know that technically, I'm a Malfoy too now, but I'll never be like him. And I'll never like him. And after I get pregnant, I'll never even touch him again."

Harry and Ron just nodded along.

"And the weird part was, he seemed really angry. He just got up and walked out," said Hermione. "You don't think I actually hurt him with what I said, do you?"

"No," said Ron, not sounding at all as if he believed what he was saying.

"Of course not," Harry repeated in the very same tone.

"I've gotta have sex with him tonight again," Hermione groaned. "I don't know what to expect. The first two times were... Well, the sex was great. But the morning after just ruined it all. But it was his fault." She looked at her friends again. "It _was_ his fault this time too, right?"

"Sure," Harry said.

"Obviously," Ron said.

Hermione sighed. "You two don't believe in what you're saying, do you?"

"No," they both said in unison.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Harry said, looking a little desperate. "It's just that, I don't know... you _are_ stuck with Malfoy forever. Aren't you even going to _try_ being friends with him? Just a little, just so you won't feel so lonely all the time."

"And that's exactly what he suggested yesterday," Ron commented quietly.

"I think you should at least try, Hermione," Harry added. "I know we're talking about Malfoy here... Trust me, I remember exactly what a git he was. You're saying he hasn't changed one bit?"

"Well..." Hermione frowned. "There were these few times that I actually thought he had changed. He talked to me, he made me laugh, he showed me the most wonderful bookstore... We discussed books for hours, and I thought I really found someone who was like me about reading. Then I was sure he was different... at least a little, but just enough so I could actually like him."

She sighed again. "But now... I don't know. I guess people just never change."

"Well," Ron finally said, "one thing is obvious."

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"You obviously care about him," Ron stated.

"Huh?"

"It's totally obvious," Ron replied. "If you didn't care, you wouldn't give so much thought to whether or not he's changed. And you wouldn't be talking about him for..." he glanced at his watch, "twenty minutes straight. I'm not saying you like him or anything. You just really, really care about him."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but realized she had nothing to say back. Maybe, for the first time in their friendship, Ron was right... and she was not.

**Q**

**A/N: **Wow!!! I got a lot of reviews this time... About the questionnaire, thank you again everyone who answered, you really helped me. If anyone else wants to answer, I'd love to e-mail them the questions.

Sorry about that last sentence, but I really think that whenever Hermione and Ron were fighting in the books, Hermione was always right and Ron was always wrong... Hehe.

**RedCinders:** Well... you know how sometimes you don't know you care for someone until something exceptional happens? That's what happened with Draco and Hermione. Draco didn't realize he cared about her until he saw his words had really hurt her feelings. Then he realized he didn't want to hurt her. And Hermione realized she cared because she was hurt. But maybe you're right, maybe it is too fast. I'll give it a thought on my next story. Thanks. :-)

**Qwerty:** Then they're busted, LOL... because they can't really prove they did it. So let's hope she does get pregnant soon, shall we?


	12. We're in for a Wonderful Week

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Twelve**

"Ready?"

It was night. Draco was sitting, arms crossed, on their bed. Hermione had just walked in. "Ready?" was the first thing Draco said when he saw her.

Hermione knew what he meant. She threw off her long cloak. "I'm ready when you are."

Draco stood up and walked over to her. They gazed at each other for a moment.

"You might want to try picture someone else in the process," Draco suggested.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Hermione replied stiffly.

Draco hesitated. He was used to start the sex by kissing the woman. But it seemed ridiculous to kiss Hermione after everything that had happened today, including that last conversation, if you can call the short, impatient sentences they had said a 'conversation'.

"Well?" Hermione said. She seemed to enjoy taunting him. "Will you keep me waiting for a long time now? We don't have all night, you know. I also want to get some sleep, and I have plans for tomorrow."

"Plans?" Draco frowned. "What plans?"

"Usually I would say 'this is none of your damn business', but since you're my husband, I'll tell you. I've decided to spend every day, starting tomorrow, in _Silver Books_, until my training begins. I invited Harry and Ron to join me, and they might come sometimes as well."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "You'd do anything to get away from spending time with me, wouldn't you?"

"I just think that since we don't get along that well, and we probably never will, there's no point in staying home and fighting with you all day. So yeah, I'm going to do my best to go out as much as I can. Now," she added, "will you finally get going? I told you, I need to get some sleep tonight."

Draco felt his face heat up in anger. There she was, Hermione Granger, her old self, just the same girl he had hated for seven years. Just as horrible as she used to be before he started to think he could like her.

"I guess I have no choice," Hermione sighed, "come here." And before Draco knew it, her hands had caught the front of his T-shirt; she pushed him backwards on the bed and pinned him down on his back. She leaned over him in a mischievous grin.

"What are you doing?" he breathed.

"If you still didn't get it, I'm not going to explain," Hermione replied. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his neck while sliding her hands into his shirt, roaming over his chest. Draco couldn't help but shiver. She rid him of the shirt and kissed her way down his body, from his neck, down his chest, to his stomach. She reached his belt and Draco let out a sigh as she began to unbuckle it...

"Didn't you... say you didn't want to... enjoy it?" Draco panted as her lips restarted their journey down his body...

"You think about yourself now," Hermione replied from somewhere below him. "You should only worry about whther you're enjoying it or not."

Draco didn't reply. He didn't trust himself to speak at that moment, because all he knew was that he was definitely enjoying it, way, way too much than he thought he should be allowed to.

**Q**

Hermione woke up next morning and immediately looked over to Draco's side of the bed to make sure he was still asleep. He sure was. She got up quietly, careful not to wake him up, and hurried to the bathroom.

Checking herself in the mirror, Hermione thought miserably: _I'm not better than all those girls I used to despise. I've slept with someone I don't even like. I did something I've sworn I'd never do. I slept with a guy when I didn't want to sleep with him and I didn't enjoy it, but I made he sure he did. What kind of a slut have I become?_

Hermione washed her face and started to change her clothes. _At least I won't see him again until the night,_ she thought numbly. _It's going to be like that until Monday. What a great week we're in for._

**Q**

She was gone.

Draco shut his eyes and shook his head hard. Of _course_ she was gone. What had he expected? She had _said_ she would go.

He knew she hadn't enjoyed the last night. She had practically done everything, and he just lay there and had fun. It was no wonder she didn't want to see him. Sex was supposed to involve _two_ people. This meant both of them should have done something. He hadn't even tried to please her. So of course she went away.

_We're in for a wonderful week,_ Draco thought bitterly, _we sure are._

And they sure were.

Hermione spent every day at the bookstore, just reading the whole day. Draco just hung out. On Friday, he gave up and went to tell his mother everything.

As usual, she blamed him. And he had to sit there and listen to her screaming: "SHE IS THE BEST WIFE YOU COULD ASK FOR, DRACO! SO YOU'D BETTER START TREATING HER RIGHT!"

Narcissa was fuming. "You're NOT the only good-looking pureblood wizard out there," she shouted, jabbing a finger in his shoulder. "If Hermione's not happy with you, she may just as well go and look for another pureblood to marry her, and then you'll be sorry!"

"But I'm the only single pureblood wizard in England whom Dumbledore trusts," Draco dared to remind her.

"And tomorrow another pureblood will break up with his girlfriend and meet Hermione, and before you know it, they'll fall in love and she'll leave you. Then what will you do? You'll stay alone, Draco, because I'm not coming back to the Manor!"

"What?" Draco gazed at her. "Why not?"

"Too many memories," Narcissa replied, her eyes narrowed in anger. "Memories from your father. I don't want to live there ever again."

"But aren't you lonely here all alone?" Draco asked, looking around at his mother's new apartment.

"No. I meet friends and go out a lot, and I know how to keep myself busy, which is something you've never known how to do, I must say. If you stay alone at the Manor, you'll go crazy. So you'd better appreciate what you got and start making Hermione happy, do you hear me?"

"But I tried," Draco protested. "I was nice to her. She was the one who said she didn't want to be friends with me, that she couldn't allow herself to enjoy sleeping with me, that she couldn't let herself like me. She says there's too much history, and too much hatred in our past, and it's just not going to work out."

"See? So she _does_ like you!" Narcissa raised her voice again. "Maybe she doesn't _want_ to, but she does. She wants to stop herself, and that's why she doesn't spend time with you. She's afraid she might like you even more. And then she might start _liking_ the fact she likes _you_. And then she'll really like it, and she'll like the sex with you and she'll like the fact that she likes it, and then she won't like herself, because – "

"I'm not following!" Draco screeched.

Narcissa sighed. "I'll try to explain more simply," she said sarcastically, "in simple words, for beginners, so that even you can understand. You see – Hermione is used to hate Draco Malfoy. She has hated him for seven years, and she had a reason. Now she realized she was beginning to like him; she saw he could actually be nice if he wanted. She saw he had really changed. And it scared her. She knew she wasn't supposed to like him."

"Why do you keep saying 'him'?" Draco asked impatiently. "I'm sitting right in front of you!"

"Shut up and let me finish!" his mother scolded. "As I was saying, Hermione knew she wasn't supposed to like you. She thought you two were too different. She thought it would be being nice to you meant betraying her friends, betraying all the Gryffindors _and_ the Muggle-borns. And in addition, she wasn't sure if you had truly changed from the inside. So she decided she couldn't do that, and although she wanted to spend time with you, she decided not to."

"How do you _know_ all that without even _talking_ to Hermione _once_?" Draco demanded.

"It's a gift," Narcissa replied impatiently. "Anyway, what you have to do now is prove her she's wrong. Prove her you're changed, and then she'll be nice to you again."

"But she thinks I'm the world greatest scum!" Draco shrieked.

"THEN PROVE HER WRONG!" Narcissa screamed at him. "Prove her she's got it all wrong! Go there right now and talk to her. Let her fall for your natural charm. You have no choice!"

"What natural charm?" Draco blinked. "So far, my natural charm only caused her to tell me what a horrible, disgusting creature I was. How sorry she is about having to marry me. How she'd rather have ANYBODY else for a husband!"

"But at least she talks to you!" Narcissa claimed. "When you were in school, she wouldn't even do that. All she did was ignoring you most of the time, and throw insults at you once in a while. At least now she doesn't ignore you! Don't you see what a great improvement it is that she's having all those long conversations with you?"

"I do – and she probably sees it too, and that's why she doesn't want to do it anymore!"

"If you talk to her, she won't ignore you," Narcissa promised him. "We're wasting time. Go there right now and talk to her."

"Go where? To _Silver Books_?"

"Yes," Narcissa ordered. "You go there and look for her until you find her. Then you talk to her."

"But I'm not even sure I want to be friends with her!" Draco protested. "After all, she _is_ Hermione Granger, the same girl I've hated for seven long years, a Gryffindor and Potter and Weasley's best friend."

Narcissa moved closer and narrowed her eyes. "She's not Hermione Granger anymore," she said in a low voice. "She's Hermione Malfoy. She's your wife. Does that mean anything to you?"

Draco closed his eyes and sighed loudly. She was right. Of course she was right. He had no choice. That woman was his wife; he couldn't spend the rest of his life ignoring her and fighting with her intermittently. Especially when she was going to have his baby soon. No, this was ridiculous.

"All right, Mom," he heard himself say. "I'll go."

Narcissa smiled and patted him on the arm. "Good boy. Now go, and good luck."

**Q**

**A/N:** I'm sorry this was short, but my summer vacation is over now and I'm starting to study tomorrow... I meant for this chapter to be longer, but I'll try to make the next one longer. I'm really enjoying your reviews. Thank you, everyone and have a good year, all of you who are starting to study soon as well!

**Burgundyred:** Well, about Lavender... I don't think I'll include her in the story anymore, I'll leave it to your imagination.


	13. A Revelation in November

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Let me recommend a song, just for fun: "On Again... Off Again", by Julie & Ludwig (Malta's song in the Eurovision, won 12th place, I think). I really like it. It's not the most intelligent song in the world, but the melody is nice.

**Supreme Neo slytherin Countess:** You don't have to be so sarcastic... I'm sorry I didn't answer your question, I can't go over all the reviews to see if there are questions whenever I update. I answer the questions I notice, so this time I didn't notice yours and I apologize. I read your question and I can't answer it anyway, do you REALLY want to know when they'll admit their feelings and get together? I can't ruin it for everyone, and I'm not even sure myself yet, so I can't really answer. Hope you're not angry or anything, and by the way, I like your reviews, thank you for reviewing so often. :-)

**LiLbLueangeL1223:** Of course I'm going to update a lot before January... LOL, I meant school year, starting September. Guess I wasn't clear enough, sorry about it. :-)

**damned for eternity:** What's that nickname all about??? Not so cheerful, are you? Anyway, I like the whole Narcissa yelling at Draco too, I think Draco needs someone like that. If any of the reviewers read "My Princess", a story I wrote last year, maybe they remember I included almost a whole chapter about Narcissa knocking some sense into him, not so gently. I just enjoy writing it!

**Q**

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Thirteen**

For as long as she could remember, whenever Hermione felt sad, angry, or upset, for any reason in the world – fighting with her parents, disappointment from friends, sadness after she and Ron broke up – she used to run to the bookshelf, grab a the heaviest book she could find, sit down and read. And it would always distract her.

So that was what she was doing when Draco Apparated into _Silver Books_. Sitting in the corner, her legs crossed, her eyes glued to a huge book that was resting on her lap. Her whole mind was fixed on it; she completely forgot about Draco, and about having to sleep with him again later today, and about the fact that she would have to spend the next two days stuck with him in the Manor, because _Silver Books_ was closed on weekends.

Draco saw her sitting there with the book, her long hair wrapped around her shoulders and falling all the way down to the book. She was dressed all in white, looking completely peaceful. For a moment, he just stood there and stared at her; he wanted to take a picture of her in that position – he had never seen anyone looking so much like an angel.

But then he sneezed. Great timing as always. And Hermione raised her eyes and saw him standing there, watching. Draco knew he looked as dumb as he felt.

"Uhh – "he stammered, "I – uhh – "

_Great start, Draco. Two thumbs up._

"Do you need something?" Hermione asked in a frown.

Draco couldn't decide whether to go straight to his point or not. At last he looked at the book she was reading and asked: "What are you reading?"

Hermione showed him the cover. "David Copperfield," she said. "One of my favorites as a child."

"Reading it again, huh?" Draco said, leaning against a shelf.

"Yes," Hermione replied shortly. "I told you I liked reading books over and over again."

"Yeah, you told me," Draco said in a low voice. He grabbed a random book from a shelf and sat down next to her. "Mind if I join you?"

"Well, you already have, so what does it matter?" Hermione muttered. "But you might want to pick another book." She pointed to the book he had grabbed from the shelf without even noticing its name: _How to Seduce a Man – A Guide for Bachelorettes_. His cheeks burning, Draco put the book back onto the shelf.

Hermione snorted and kept on reading.

Draco picked another book randomly. It was named _Goblin Revolutions in the 19th Century_. Well, at least it wasn't a guide for bachelorettes – but he certainly didn't have luck with books today.

He glanced at Hermione again. She was sitting there, completely concentrated on _David Copperfield_. Draco wasn't used to girls ignoring him – most certainly not for books; he sighed loudly and stood up.

"You're going?" Hermione asked indifferently.

"Seems so," he muttered and Disapparated.

Hermione was left there alone. She shrugged and kept on reading, but somewhere deep inside she felt a little weird... almost – disappointed. She knew he had come to talk to her – but she wished he had made a real effort, and not given up after two minutes.

**Q**

Saturday and Sunday were long, long days. Hermione and Draco avoided each other as much as they could, except in the meals, when they had to sit in front of each other and eat. Each of them placed a huge book in front of his eyes and spent the meal reading. They didn't say a word to each other.

In the nights, they would have sex. But it was different now; they did it passionately and wildly. Their kisses felt as if each of them was trying to get as deep as possible into the other's soul; trying to break and melt the ice between them. But it didn't work. Even when their climaxes sent them to cloud nine, and they cried out each other's name in pleasure, they both knew... It was not the same anymore. Something was missing.

On Monday, Hermione started her Auror Training. It was more challenging than she had thought, but extremely interesting. She knew she had made the right choice when she had decided to become an Auror: there was nothing else in the world that could make her more satisfied.

After the Training was over, Hermione went to St. Mungo's to take another pregnancy test. While the Healer was checking her stomach, Hermione closed her eyes and prayed softly...

Then she heard the crucial words: "Sorry. You're not pregnant."

**Q**

Hermione and Draco continued to have sex every few days for the next two weeks. They decided they would have sex as often as possible, and Hermione would take a test in St. Mungo's once every two weeks.

Draco started working as well. When Hermione asked him how work was, he muttered it was "okay". But he seemed satisfied. At least he had something to do instead of sitting and staring all day, waiting for time to pass.

Hermione didn't get pregnant all October. In the beginning of November, when she took the test for the fourth time, she still wasn't pregnant. But then, around the middle of November, just when they were starting to get a little nervous about their jobs that might being taken away, she took the test again...

**Q**

"I'm what?"

"You're pregnant, Mrs. Malfoy!" the Healer declared, smiling up at her.

Hermione gazed at him, completely shocked. She had heard the words "Sorry, you're not pregnant" four times before, and she had been so sure she was not pregnant this time as well...

"Congratulations!" the Healer grinned, patting her affectionately on the shoulder. "If you come back in a month or so, I'll be able to tell you the gender of the baby and do some general tests to see that everything is all right. Congratulations again."

Hermione stepped out of the room, still shocked. She wasn't sure what to do next. But she knew she had to tell Draco.

She Apparated to the Malfoy Manor and found one of the house-elves. "Is Draco home?" she asked urgently.

"Yes, Miss, he's in the library. Shall I call him, Miss?" the house-elf asked.

"No, thank you. I'll go find him myself."

She went quickly to the library. Sure enough, Draco was sitting there, staring at some small black book with golden stripes. She cleared her throat to let him know she was there. He raised his eyes, saw her, nodded and went back to reading.

"Draco..." she said, leaning against the lintel, "I need to tell you something."

Draco raised his eyes again. "Yes?" he asked politely.

She swallowed hard. "It worked."

"What worked?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," she said, almost in a whisper.

But Draco heard her. His eyes widened and he stood up at once. He gazed at her, as if trying to figure out if she was kidding. "Are you serious?" he demanded. "Were you in St. Mungo's?"

Hermione nodded.

"Wow," Draco murmured. He took some nervous steps toward her, and Hermione suddenly knew... She wasn't so sorry that Draco was the father anymore. The thought actually made her feel quite good, for some reason she could not explain.

Her mind went from numb to excited as Draco closed in.

"We're having a baby," he whispered.

"Yes," Hermione whispered back. And before she knew what she was doing, she took a step forward and wrapped him in a hug.

He hugged her back, and they both knew: That thing that had been missing, was now back in its place.

**Q**

**A/N:** I know it was short, but it's late here and I have a long day tomorrow, and besides, I knew I couldn't keep you waiting so long anymore. I'll try to update as soon as possible, promise.

Love,

Roni Black.


	14. Arguments and Tension

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Fourteen**

The pregnancy made Hermione feel much more mature. Even though she was married, she still thought of herself as a child. But now that she was about to have a child of her own, she felt as if she was already a grown-up.

Draco seemed to be very excited. He was walking around the Manor with a big grin on his face – Hermione had almost never seen him with such a big grin, maybe except for the time he had been singing "Weasley is our King" in their fifth year.

That evening, during dinner, they were sitting in the dining room and arguing hotly about their plans for the baby.

"Say it's a boy," Draco declared, "his name will be Dominic. I'll get him a tutor when he's five years old, and right from the day he's born, one of us will read him books every evening, and during the days as well, as much as possible."

"The books sound okay," Hermione argued, "but I'm not calling my son Dominic, and he's not getting any tutor."

"One by one," Draco said. "What's wrong with the name Domonic?"

"Nothing, it's just that I've already made up my mind about my children's names."

"Oh, really?" Draco asked with a light sneer. "And what are they?"

"If it's a girl, Josephine," Hermione answered, "and if it's a boy – it's Edward. Eddie for short."

"Edward?" Draco twitched his face. "No. My father's second name was Edward. I'm not naming my son after him. Where did you get these names, anyway?"

"Josephine is after Jo from Little Women," Hermione replied as if it were obvious. "And Edward is after Edward Rochester from Jane Eyre."

"Forget it. No names from books. For a boy, it's either Dominic, or Draco Jr."

"Draco Jr.?!" Hermione made a disgusted face. "You want to name our son Draco Malfoy Junior? No way! It sounds horrible!"

"It does not!" Draco protested.

"It does, too," Hermione declared. "And we're not naming him Dominic as well. We're naming him Edward. And if you don't like Edward, fine, let it be John."

"John?" Draco twitched his face again. "I like the name, but I still think Dominic sounds better."

"I prefer John," Hermione insisted.

"So what?" Draco said nastily. "You like John, I like Dominic. We'll never agree on that. We'll just have to settle on a name that we both like."

"Fine. Each of us is going to make a list of names," Hermione suggested. "One for boys' names and one for girls' names. Then we'll try to find the matches."

"All right, we'll do that after dinner. And what about a tutor, what's wrong with getting a tutor for our child?" Draco demanded. "Do you prefer staying at home and teaching him or her yourself?"

"No, he or she will go to a Muggle school," Hermione replied determinedly.

Draco almost choked. He had to cough a few times before he was able to speak again. "I beg your pardon?" he said, gazing at Hermione as if she were out of her mind.

"I know what you're thinking," Hermione said, "but I'm not going to give up on this one. Our child will need to be educated, and both of us have jobs. And tutor is not good enough. A child needs to go to school and be like everyone else his age. A child needs company of other children, and discipline. And most important of all: I want our child to learn that Muggles are just as worthy as wizards. I will not allow him or her to think that Muggles inferior just because you think so."

Draco frowned. He seemed almost hurt. "I do _not_ think Muggles are inferior!"

"Yeah. Right," Hermione shot back. "That's why you kept calling me Mudblood and picking on me while we were in Hogwarts. Because you thought Muggles were _superior_."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't be an idiot. It's true, I used to believe they were inferior. But I don't anymore. I swear."

"Sure, Draco. Sure."

"I mean it, Hermione, I don't – "

"I'm going to make my lists," Hermione interrupted. She got to her feet and ran upstairs, leaving Draco with his mouth open.

Hermione ran up the stairs, trying not to think about what Draco had just said... She knew why she had run away – because she was afraid of the thought that he might have really changed. Because if he had... maybe she couldn't stop herself anymore. Maybe she would allow something inside her to come out, some kind of unwanted – feeling... that she couldn't let herself feel.

So it was best if Draco just stayed the way he was. No changes.

----

Draco came upstairs several minutes later, carrying a roll of parchment. He stopped dead at the entrance as he saw Hermione: She was sitting with a roll of parchment that reached the floor, and she was _still_ scribbling furiously on it.

"What are you doing?!" he demanded.

"I'm doing my lists, of course," Hermione replied impatiently, not raising her eyes from the parchment. "So please don't interrupt. I'm in the middle of girls' names. Don't bother me."

Draco sat down on his side of the bed, casting nervous glances at Hermione's parchment every few seconds. Five minutes later, when Hermione was still busy writing, he couldn't help but comment: "You know, Hermione, our baby can only have _one_ name."

"Two, in fact," Hermione replied shortly. "He or she gets a middle name as well."

"Still – you do realize ninety-nine per cent of the names you're trying so hard to think of will do no good to anybody, right?"

"I told you not to interrupt," Hermione snapped. "I need to concentrate."

Draco gave up. Ten minutes later, Hermione was finally finished.

"How many names have you got there?" Draco inquired, casting a fearful glance at the mile-long roll of parchment.

"Just a few hundreds," Hermione replied casually. "Go ahead. Start with yours and I'll tell you what I think."

"All right, I'll start with boys' names..."

They went over the lists and marked the names that were on both lists. Eventually, they settled for the name Kenneth – Kenny for short.

"Oh, thank God! It's over!" Draco groaned.

"Not so fast, Mister," Hermione said dryly. "Middle name now."

----

It took them more than two hours to decide both on first name and middle name for a boy. When they were finally finished, they were both exhausted.

"I guess we won't start on girls' names now," Hermione said.

"No. No way," Draco groaned. "I'm too tired to even read. I've got to sleep, or I'll kill myself. Please don't start on girls' names! We'll do them another time, really!"

"All right," Hermione agreed. It was surprising, actually. Draco had expected for her to argue and say that she wanted to decide now. But she seemed just as exhausted as he was.

They lay back and got under the covers. Draco turned the lights off with his wand.

"Kenneth Elliot Malfoy," Hermione said dreamily. "It really does sound good."

"Yeah," Draco replied sleepily. "It really does. I'm glad we've got it settled."

Hermione turned to face him. "Do you realize that in nine months, we'll actually have a baby around here? A real live baby. Our baby. Yours and mine."

"It's hard to believe," Draco said, "but it's true."

"It's just that... I've never thought I would have a baby at such a young age, you know? I'm only eighteen. I will not even be nineteen when this baby is born. And to tell you the truth... When I thought about having a baby in the future, and I imagined the father..."

"He wasn't me. I know," Draco said. "When I pictured the mother of my baby, she wasn't you, either. Who was the father of your baby in the picture you had on your mind?"

"Well..." Hermione didn't know why she was telling him this, but she realized she could not stop herself. "For a very long time, it was Ron. Undoubtfully Ron. Even after we broke up... I just couldn't imagine anyone else taking his place. But then, later, when I got over him, the father of my baby was just... faceless. I didn't know who he was."

Draco gazed at her silently. Hermione noticed his hair – how it was almost glowing in the dark... How come she had never noticed it before?

"Who was the mother of your baby in your picture?" she asked to cover up the embarrassing silence.

Draco was quiet for a moment. Then he said: "You really want me to tell you?"

"Yes," Hermione replied.

Draco leaned in a bit, and Hermione's heartbeat sped up a little, for some reason. "I lied," he said in a whisper. "It was you. When I had that crush on you... It was you."

Hermione stared at him, and perhaps for the first time in her life, she was completely speechless. It lasted for about thirty seconds. Then she asked: "And afterwards?"

"After what?"

"After you got over your... crush on me. Who was it in the picture?"

Draco swallowed hard and drew in closer. Hermione had a feeling she knew what he was going to say. She wanted to hear it. And yet she didn't. She knew that if he said what she thought he would, she might not be able to control her feelings – or herself.

"I'll tell you the truth, since we're in the spirit of honesty tonight..." Draco said in a husky voice. "It has been you ever since I first started to have that crush on you... because I have never actually gotten over it."

They gazed at each other for another long moment. Hermione mind was raging. If only he kissed her now, she would lose all control. It seemed so right for them to kiss right then – after all, they had had sex almost every night for more than a month...

But then she remembered, and her heart dropped. She was already pregnant. They didn't have to do it anymore. And if they didn't have to, they just didn't do it.

Because they didn't want to.

But what if they actually _wanted_ to? What if she really wanted to do it? What if she desperately wanted him to kiss her, right there, right then?

Draco seemed to be thinking the same thing, for he grinned a little mischievously at her. "Losing ourselves a little, are we?" he said, and his voice sent tingles down Hermione's spine. "Tough battle against our wishes. But we must win. Remember – we promised we would never let that happen."

And without another word, he turned around, leaving Hermione gazing like a fool at his back.

----

**A/N:** Tension UP! Sexual tension, mainly. Can you FEEL it? I know chapters are not long enough – I have another whole scene planned which I wanted to put into this chapter, but it's already soooooooo late and in the next few days I won't have time, so I decided to put up what I had so far. Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for the reviews!


	15. Forgetting Why and Wherefore

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Fifteen**

In the next few weeks, Hermione and Draco hardly had time to talk to each other, because now their jobs started to be really demanding. Draco went out very early every morning, and when he came back, it was almost night time, and he was so exhausted, that he went almost straight to bed. Hermione finished the first level of the Auror Training – the introduction – and she now had to be trained eight hours every day instead of six, and once every week her trainers tested her on what they had taught her. Therefore, she had to spend almost all her time at home sitting with her books and studying. It was interesting, but very tiring as well.

Then, two weeks after Hermione had found out she was pregnant, she came one morning to the Auror Training Center and found two familiar faces grinning at her.

"What are you doing here?" she gasped.

"We're starting our Auror Training, of course!" Ron announced, still grinning. "Remember? You were supposed to start today as well, with us, but you abandoned us to get pregnant."

"Funny," Hermione snarled, but she wasn't angry – she was really happy to see them again. "So, how have you two been doing?"

"Good," Harry said. "You know Lupin and Tonks are getting married soon?"

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah. We didn't even know they were a couple. They have hidden it from the rest of us for like a year. Then one morning they suddenly burst into the kitchen and screamed, 'We're engaged!' And we were all like: 'Huh?' "

Hermione giggled. "I had no idea they were together as well. Why did they keep it a secret?"

"They said they didn't want to make a big deal out of it," Ron said, shrugging. "Ridiculous, huh? So they're getting married on Christmas, so that Ginny and Luna will be able to be there as well. Mom told us to invite Malfoy as well, so tell him he's invited."

Hermione nodded.

"And how are you, Hermione?" Harry asked. "What's going on with you?"

"Well," Hermione began, "I've finished the first level of Auror Training, which is probably the easiest one. Only now I realize how tough this profession is going to be, if the training is so hard... I guess I'll only be able to finish one year at first. Then I'll take a break of another year, and complete the studies later."

"Break?" Ron said, puzzled.

"For the baby," Harry reminded him. "Do you think you'll get pregnant any time soon, Hermione?"

"Well," Hermione replied mischievously, "usually when a woman is already pregnant, she can't get pregnant again at the same time, but who knows? Maybe I'm Wonder-Woman."

"Huh?!" Ron interrupted, his eyes wide open with surprise.

"You're – "Harry began.

"Yes!" Hermione squealed.

"You're pregnant?" Ron gasped.

"I'm pregnant!" Hermione yelled, throwing herself in their arms.

"Oh my God," Harry said, "I'm so happy for you!"

The three of them hugged. "What does Draco say?" Ron asked.

"He's as happy as I am," Hermione replied. "I guess he's trying to ignore the fact that I'm the mother, and he's just concentrating on the fact that he's going to be a father." She didn't forgot what Draco had told her the night before. She just didn't want to tell anyone, not yet.

"I guess it's a relief, not having to sleep with him every night anymore, huh?" Ron said.

"Sure," Hermione replied unconvincingly.

Harry and Ron gazed at her, then at each other. "Umm – Hermione?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Are you – are you starting to develop some... _feelings_ for Draco?"

Hermione almost fell off her feet. "_Excuse_ me?!" she screeched. She reached out and punched Harry on the shoulder. "Feelings for Malfoy? Me?! Don't even think about it!"

Harry and Ron said nothing. Hermione scowled at them. "I do _not_ have feelings for him," she said firmly. "It's not my fault that he's my husband, and the father of my soon-to-be-born baby. I would have preferred almost anyone over him, but I have no choice. There's no way I'm _ever_ going to develop feelings for Draco. Ever."

Harry and Ron exchanged another weird glance.

"What?" Hermione demanded.

"Well – you're not very convincing," Harry said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, I'm serious. Draco and I are only friends. Not even friends, actually. He's not a friend like you guys. We just talk sometimes because we can't spend days and days not talking to anyone. But I will never forget what he did to us at Hogwarts, and I'm never going to fall in love with him."

"Has he changed?" Ron asked.

"What?"

"You said you would never forget what he did in Hogwarts. Has he changed since then?" Ron repeated.

Hermione flushed and tried to avoid Ron's eyes. "I don't know," she muttered.

"Come on, Hermione, who else knows but you? You live with Draco, you see him every day. You talk to him. Tell us if he's changed."

Hermione suddenly felt the urge to sit down. She wasn't sure she could talk about this standing up. She hurried over to the farther end of the entrance hall, where there were several green armchairs. She quickly sank into one of them. Harry and Ron sat down on either side of her.

"Well?" Ron asked tenderly.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know how it happened," she said. "I can hardly believe myself, but I really believe he's changed. Completely. He's really not the same guy."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"It's hard to explain," Hermione murmured. "It's not like he's good-hearted and kind and sweet all of a sudden... He still teases me a lot, but he's not doing it cruelly, deliberately to hurt me. He does it – as if to make me laugh. And I do the same. It's like we enjoy taunting each other. And I like talking to him... finding out we have more in common than I've ever thought."

"You _like_ him," Ron said triumphantly.

"What?" Hermione's head jerked up. "No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do," Ron stated. "You can't fool me. You like him. You really do."

"All right, all right," Hermione said loudly, "calm down. Okay. So maybe I like the person he's become. But there's no way it's ever going to be more than that. We're friends, and that's it."

"Oh, really?" Harry snorted.

"Yes," Hermione said stubbornly.

"Oh, _really_?"

"Stop it, Harry! I'm serious. We'll never be anything more than friends, ever."

"Fine, I'm not going to argue with you. But one day, you'll come and tell me I was right... And then what do you think I'll do?"

"Have a really good laugh?" Hermione suggested, annoyed.

"No," Harry said, grinning. "I'll thank heavens that once in my life, only once, I'd been right and Hermione was not."

"Funny again," Hermione growled as Harry and Ron burst out laughing.

----

_Dear Hermione,_

_CONGRATULATIONS on the pregnancy!!! You bad, bad girl, why didn't you owl us the minute you found out? Never mind, we forgive you. As long as you give us all the juicy details on your sex with Draco the moment we see you (all right, so just give them to me, Ginny. Luna doesn't seem to share the urge I have to know what sex with Draco Malfoy is like. But you have to admit he's hot, even you, Hermione, who is always in control of your hormones. If he hadn't been such an asshole at school, I would have probably shared the same crush ninety per cent of the girls had on him)._

_Speaking of Draco, someone told us you admitted to be on friendly terms with him. It's definitely a good sign. When will you have more than friendship going on at that Malfoy Manor of yours? Don't tell us you don't, Hermione. No one can be friends with such a sexy guy and have sex with him about forty times without falling in love with him._

_Don't forget to tell us the gender of the baby as soon as you know it. We like the name Kenneth Elliot for a boy, and since you haven't decided on a name for a girl yet, how about Ginevra for a first name, Luna for a second name? All right, all right! Luna insists it should be Luna for a first name, Ginevra for a second. But don't listen to her! You know you want Ginevra to be your baby's first name! (Don't tell her I wrote that.)_

_We're waiting for an owl and meanwhile, we're sitting here and knitting socks for the baby. (Yeah, right. As if I have ever been able to knit.)_

_Love,_

_Ginny and Luna._

_P.S.: Luna _is_ knitting. But she's just doing it to convince you to name the baby after her. Don't fall for that!_

_Boy, I should start writing my own letters._

Hermione laughed and stuffed the letter into her drawer just as Draco walked in.

"Hey," she said, surprised. "You're early, what are you doing here?"

"It's been an easy day for a change," Draco replied. He closed the door and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"It's good that you're early," Hermione said. "I can tell you where I'm going."

"Where?"

"To do general tests for the baby. See if it's healthy, if everything is okay. And the gender, of course, unless you don't want to know."

"I do want to," Draco said at once. "So, shall we?"

Hermione gazed at him. "You're coming with me?"

"Of course I am, did you think you'd know everything about the baby before me? No way. I want to know the minute you do. I'm coming along."

----

Thirty minutes later they were in the clinic. Hermione was lying on the bed, with the Healer checking her, and Draco was sitting across the room, watching intently.

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Just a minute, just a minute," the Healer hummed.

Draco moved uncomfortably.

"You look very nervous, Draco," Hermione commented. "I've never seen you so nervous, not even when we got married."

The Healer raised an eyebrow, but did not chime in.

"It's not the same at all," Draco snapped. "This is about my baby, I want to know if it's okay. When I married you, I was worried about totally different things. Don't compare."

The Healer took a small, golden machine off a table near the bed and moved it across Hermione's stomach, making it tingly.

The Healer took a small roll of parchment out of the machine and examined it carefully. "I'll be back in five minutes or so with the results," he said and stepped out.

Draco and Hermione were left alone.

"Are you telling me you're not at all nervous?" Draco demanded.

"Are you kidding me? I haven't been so nervous since I did my NEWTs," Hermione replied. "I just wish I could get the results already. I want to know that everything is okay."

They were silent for a few minutes.

"Draco," Hermione said suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Do you – do you remember what you said the other night, about two weeks ago?" Hermione said. She looked as if she needed all her strength to say these words.

"I probably said many things," Draco said. "Which one?"

"We were talking about – about the picture we both had in mind. About our future. How we'd imagined it would be. And you said that in that picture, the mother of the baby was – me."

"I remember," Draco said slowly.

"Did you mean it?" Hermione asked, swallowing hard. She raised her eyes to meet his. Starting to feel warm all over, she swallowed hard again, waiting for his answer.

Draco slowly got to his feet and made his way to the bed. Hermione's breath quickened. She looked up at him as he leaned over her. He looked deep into her eyes. Then slowly, his head began to descend to hers...

"I'm back!" a voice announced. Hermione's heart gave a jump; Draco quickly pulled away and they both turned to look. The Healer was back.

"Would you like to know the results?" the Healer asked. Hermione tensed up, but when she noticed he was beaming, she relaxed.

And then her mind began to rage. _Why couldn't you come just a minute later?_ She thought miserably. _Not even a minute. Just thirty seconds later..._

"Well?" Draco's voice cut her thoughts.

"Everything is normal," the Healer said unsurprisingly, "perfectly normal. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy."

"Thank you," Hermione said politely.

"And the gender?" Draco asked.

The Healer beamed again. "A girl," he said, exposing perfect, white teeth in his smile. "A perfectly healthy baby girl. Congratulations!"

"It's a girl?" Draco cried excitedly. Hermione sat up, almost unable to breathe.

"Yes!" the Healer repeated, grinning.

Draco turned back to the bed. "Hermione," he exclaimed, "we're having a girl!"

"I can't believe it!" Hermione cried. She jumped up and pulled Draco into a hug. She wasn't really thinking – it just seemed so natural. She had to hug someone... They were having a girl!

"Wow," Draco said, breathing hard as he hugged her back.

"Do you realize how ironic this is?" Hermione asked as she pulled away. "We've decided on a boy's name. But not a girl's. And we're having a girl. Let's go home and go over the lists right away!"

"No – Hermione, please," Draco said at once, looking almost horrified. "I – I have another suggestion."

"Yes?"

"Amy."

"What?"

"We'll name her Amy. Amy Malfoy. How about that?"

Hermione stared at him. Draco expected her to say this was ridiculoud and insist on going home immediately and start going over the mile-long list. But instead, a soft smile spread on her face. "You know what, Draco?" she said. "I agree. Amy would be perfect."

And smiling at each other, they hugged again.

----

**A/N:** Just a little fluff – but this was a longer chapter. And I updated soon! I like your reviews, as always... One thing I don't understand, though: Many people have already asked me to write more and more sex scenes. This was the first story I ever wrote real descriptions of sex – were they that good? Oh well... If you really want to know, I can't promise anything yet, but there will be action between Hermione and Draco... This story is not Hermione/Draco for nothing. They can't be too graphic, though, and not too much smut – after all, there are kids reading this. Who am I to damage their pure soul?... Just kidding. Anyway, thanks for the compliments, it's good to know you want me to write more. Hehe. See ya soon!


	16. Christmas Eve

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Christmas is only a week away," Hermione said. "What are your plans?"

"Well," said Draco, "I guess I'll go with my mother. She plans to go to some friends' house. How about you? You'll be with the Weasleys?"

"Yeah," Hermione replied. She looked a little uncomfortable.

"Oh."

"Do you – "Hermione swallowed hard, and went on: "Would you like to come with me?"

"Come where?" Draco asked.

"To the Weasleys' house," Hermione replied quietly.

Draco snorted. "Why would the Weasleys want to have _me_ in their house?"

"Because you're my husband," Hermione answered simply. "Why not, actually? Is the Weasleys' house not good enough for you?"

"It is," Draco replied. "It is me who is not good enough for them."

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione snapped, "of course you are good enough for them. Besides, we should start spending holidays together, because when our baby is born, we'll have to be together."

"Together in what sense?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll have to spend more time together, because I want our child to grow up with parents who like each other," Hermione replied.

"I thought we did like each other," Draco said.

Hermione seemed very reluctant to admit it, but she had to nod. "That's right. I guess we're friends now. But when we have a baby, we'll have to be _best_ friends."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"Because best friends don't fall in love," Hermione replied stiffly.

"Oh really? Then what happened between you and Weasley? Or are you saying that you never actually loved him?"

"I loved Ron," Hermione said, frowning. "Don't underestimate my feelings. And it wasn't the same. I didn't consider him as my best friend at the time. Harry was my best friend."

"Rubbish," Draco snorted. "They were both your best friends, just like today. You fell in love with your best friends and there's nothing wrong about it."

"Well, maybe that's why it didn't work. Best friends should not fall in love. I have always believed in that," Hermione replied. "I think best friends falling in love is almost like incestuousness. It just doesn't normally happen."

"So now you want us to be like brother and sister?" Draco inquired. "I'm sorry, but I could never be like a brother to you. I cannot pretend my wife is my sister, and anyway, I've never had a sister so I don't even know how to treat one. This is getting ridiculous. And stop being so afraid that we might fall in love with each other, because it's not going to happen."

_Then why did you say you'd never overcome your crush on me? Why did you almost kiss me twice in the last month? Why am I getting so nervous when we get to the subject of our relationship? Why, if it's not going to happen?_

Hermione wanted to ask all that. But she eventually decided not to. He was right. There was no point in arguing with him. Obviously he didn't have feelings for her, and she didn't have feelings for him... almost. But she could get over him. She could get him out of her mind. She would force him out if she had to – she would never allow it to happen. He was right: this was impossible.

"Anyway, will you or will you not come to the Burrow with me on Christmas Eve?" she demanded finally.

She was sure he'd say no. After all, this was Draco – why would he want to spend Christmas with the Weasleys and Harry Potter? Therefore, she was very surprised to hear him say: "Yes, I'll come."

---

_Why did I agree?_ Draco wondered as they approached the Weasleys' house. _Everyone will probably ignore me all night – if I'm lucky. If I'm unlucky, they'll actually talk to me. That can be disturbing. Very disturbing._

The Weasleys' house did not look as bad as Draco had thought it would. It was small and crooked, but it looked very warm and inviting.

Mrs. Weasley opened the door. "Hermione, sweetheart!" she cried happily and hugged her. Then she turned to Draco and to his surprise, hugged him as well. "Merry Christmas, you two!"

"Merry Christmas," Draco and Hermione replied as they walked inside.

Everyone was there: Mr. Weasley, tall and thin as ever, smiling warmly at the two of them; Bill, the eldest Weasley child, with his wife and their one-year-old baby boy (Hermione had informed Draco that their Bill's wife's name was Emily, and their baby's – Rob); Charlie and his new wife, Caroline; Fred and Angelina, George and Katie, Ron and Luna, and Ginny and Harry. In addition there were some members of what used to be the Order of the Phoenix: Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin. They were all smiling – and none of them stopped smiling when they saw Draco.

Hermione immediately went into the usual ceremony of hugging and kissing everyone around. Draco shook hands with some. Then they all went out to the garden for dinner.

The meal was great; Draco had never eaten such a delicious Christmas dinner, not even in Hogwarts. The house-elves of the Malfoy Manor were great cooks – but they didn't even compare to Mrs. Weasley. Everyone was gobbling hungrily as if they hadn't eaten for weeks.

"So Draco, how's working at the Ministry?" Mr. Weasley asked. "You know, all our sons are working for the Ministry. Just as we wanted."

"Umm, Dad?" Fred said. "We're here too, you know."

"Yeah. Except for these two," Mr. Weasley said, rolling his eyes. "They insisted on opening this joke shop of theirs. _Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes_. can you believe it?"

"But they make more money than most Ministry workers do," Ginny commented. "And they make the coolest stuff I've ever seen."

"I guess working for the Ministry is okay," Draco said, feeling a little uncomfortable. "Lots and lots of paper work, though. But it's getting interesting."

"How's Auror Training going?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron.

"It's cool," Ron said. "But it's awfully hard too. They're really strict there. Almost like McGonagall."

Across from Draco, Tonks and Ginny started an argument on Lupin's tuxedo for the wedding.

"It _must_ be black," Tonks said hotly. "He can't get married in another color. He'll be amazing in black – people with light hair and skin look great in dark colors."

"Black will look ridiculous," Ginny insisted. "He's not going to a funeral, he's not mourning or something. Black tuxes are for memorial services and such – not for weddings!"

"What are you talking about? All men wear black tuxes at their weddings!" Tonks exclaimed.

"Charlie wore a blue tux," Ginny replied, "and it looked awesome. Bill had white and cream clothes on, not actually a tux, and he was a real hunk. I think Remus can look great in blue as well. He doesn't have to wear black!"

"Anyone intends on asking what _I_ want to wear for _my_ wedding?" Lupin asked.

"No," Tonks and Ginny replied in unison and went on arguing.

Two seats away, Mrs. Weasley was nagging Bill on his hairstyle.

"You haven't had a haircut for what – eight years?" she demanded. "You _must_ cut your hair, dear, this is getting ridiculous!"

"I like it the way it is, Mom," Bill said patiently.

"But Emily probably agrees with me on this – don't you, honey?" Mrs. Weasley said, turning to Bill's wife.

"Umm – "said Emily.

"There, you see? Now, how about letting me cut it a little later tonight?" Mrs. Weasley offered.

"_No_, Mom."

Draco felt he had definitely eaten enough. He leaned back on his chair and sighed a little.

"Feeling full, huh?" Harry said, grinning at him. "That's how we all feel after eating Mrs. Weasley's food."

"It was really good," Draco said. "I mean really, it was. But I got carried away."

"It will pass," Harry promised him.

Everyone else was starting to get up, gathering plates. Several minutes later, they were all back at the living room, in front of the Christmas Tree, which was almost buried under a mountain of presents.

"Time for some Christmas songs," Ron said, grinning. "Shall we begin?"

They all started singing together, and Draco joined them softly:

_We wish you a merry Christmas_

_We wish you a merry Christmas_

_We wish you a merry Christmas_

_And a happy New Year._

_Glad tidings we bring_

_To you and your kin;_

_Glad tidings for Christmas_

_And a happy New Year._

"And now," Ron announced solemnly, "the girls are about to give us a very special performance. Let's give them a few minutes to get themselves ready."

"The girls?" Draco asked, surprised.

"Yes. Hermione and me," Ginny said as she and Hermione hurried upstairs.

"When did they plan this?" Draco asked.

"Last week," Luna said. "They asked me to join, but I'm not into singing."

"Singing...?"

Someone turned the lights off. Only the lights of the Christmas Tree were still on. Ginny walked inside, dressed in a blue , her long red hair down, reaching her waist. She was beautiful indeed; her body was slender and well shaped, and her smile was lovely as the music began, and she raised a magical microphone to her lips and started singing...

_I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need_

_I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree_

_I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know_

_Make my wish come true_

_All I want for Christmas_

_Is you._

_I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need_

_And I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree_

_I don't need to hang my stocking there upon the fireplace_

_Santa Claus won't make me happy with a toy on Christmas day_

_I just want you for my own more than you could ever know_

_Make my wish come true, all I want for Christmas is you, you baby_

_I won't ask for much this Christmas, I won't even wish for snow_

_I'm just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe_

_I won't make a list and send it to the North Pole for Saint Nick_

_I won't even stay awake to hear those magic reindeer click_

'_Cause I just want you here tonight, holding on to me so tight_

_What more can I do, baby all I want for Christmas is you, you baby_

_All the lights are shining so brightly everywhere_

_And the sound of children's laughter fills the air_

_And everyone is singing, I hear those sleigh bells ringing_

_Santa won't you bring me the one I really need_

_Won't you please bring my baby to me?_

_Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas, this is all I'm asking for_

_I just want to se baby standing right outside my door_

_Oh I just want him for my own more than you could ever know_

_Make my wish come true_

_Baby all I want for Christmas_

_Is you..._

As she finished, everone broke into applause. Ginny grinned again and stepped outside. Then the music changed.

"It's Hermione's turn," Ron whispered.

Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat. If Hermione was going to be as good as Ginny had been, he wasn't sure he would be able to stand it.

Hermione walked in slowly, taking step after step; Draco's breath caught in his throat. She was wearing a woman Santa's costume, with a mini skirt instead of long pants, her long legs exposed. Draco stared at her, unable to stop himself.

Hermione smiled before she began singing...

_Santa baby_

_Just slip a sable under the tree for me_

_Been an awful good girl, Santa baby_

_So hurry down the chimney tonight_

Her voice was low and seductive; Draco swallowed hard. This song was meant to be sang sexily, and Hermione was doing the job. She was walking around slowly and smiling seductively as she went on.

_Santa baby_

_A fifty-four-convertable too, light blue_

_I'll wait up for you, dear_

_Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight  
  
Think of all the fun I've missed_

_Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed_

_Next year I could be just as good_

_If you check out my Christmas list_

_Santa baby, I want a yacht and really that's not a lot_

_Been an angel all year_

_Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight  
  
Santa honey_

_One little thing I really need, that deed_

_To a platinum mine_

_Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight  
  
Santa cutie_

_Fill my stocking with a duplex and cheques_

_Sign your X on the line_

_Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight  
  
Come and trim my Christmas tree_

_With some decorations bought from Tiffany's_

_I really do believe in you_

_Let's see if you believe in me  
  
Santa baby_

_Forgot to mention one little thing, a ring_

_I don't mean on the phone_

_Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight_

_Hurry down the chimney tonight  
  
Hurry, tonight_

The last two words rang in the air before Bill started clapping, and everyone joined in, cheering as well. Draco joined the applause and stared at Hermione, wide-eyed, as she grinned and walked slowly outside.

He might have imagined it, but he thought, just a minute before she looked away, that her eyes rested on him with the most lovely smile on her lips.

----

Narcissa had a great evening with her friends. When she got out to walk home (only a few blocks away), carrying all the presents she had got in a bag, she collided into someone – a very tall, broad-shouldered someone. Her bag dropped and all the presents spilled out.

"Oh!" she cried. "I'm so sorry!" She kneeled to gather up the boxes.

"It's okay," the man replied, and as Narcissa heard his voice, she froze. She could not believe it. It surely wasn't... Very, very slowly, she looked up and saw him.

His black hair falling down to his shoulders; his black eyes staring down to her; he was looking at her with complete astonishment. His pale skin was a contrast with the blackness of his hair, eyes and long robes. It was Severus Snape.

Narcissa felt all the blood in her body flood her face. She knew she was blushing, and even the make-up couldn't hide it. But she could not control herself. There were too many memories suddenly flooding her mind.

"Severus..." she choked.

He reached out and helped her up to her feet. She stood there, gazing at him, almost too shocked to feel stupid.

"What are you doing here?" she finally managed to ask.

"I have some friends here. They invited me to spend Christmas Eve with them," he replied, not taking his eyes off hers.

"I was with friends as well," Narcissa said in a low voice. "Where are you headed now?"

"Probably back to Hogwarts."

Narcissa had to gather all her strength to ask this: "I live just around the block... d'you want to drop by?"

Severus's eyes lingered on hers for another long moment before he looked down.

"I don't know if it's a good idea, Narcissa."

Narcissa felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. She, too, was remembering their affair of the before-Lucius era; they had been best friends and lovers for six years before Narcissa's parents forced them apart, making her marry Lucius.

Severus's heart had been broken then just like hers, Narcissa knew that. She had been thinking about him almost every day since Lucius had died, but somehow, she never had the courage to go look for him.

This meeting was not random. She didn't want to miss it – it was her chance. But he, apparently, did not feel the same way.

"Well..." she said softly, "all right. Merry Christmas, Severus." Then she turned and walked away, leaving him there.

She walked quickly, gritting her teeth hard to stop the tears from falling. She didn't want to cry over him. At least not in the street. She'd get home first.

When she closed the door behind her several minutes later, she dropped the bag and leaned against the wall, panting, hot tears flooding her eyes. She had seen him again. She had been dreaming of this moment for so long. How they'd finally find each other, how he would take her in his arms, those strong arms that had always made her feel so safe, and kiss her – and this single kiss would make their hearts soar.

She loved him. She had never loved anyone except for him. She had hated Lucius, with his cold manners, his evil grin, his cruelty. She hated him. She had fallen in love with Severus at the age of fifteen. And all those years, she had dreamed of him coming back to her, saving her from Lucius.

He had never come.

And now, that Lucius was dead, and she finally met him again, he was gone once more.

Her shoulders shook as she sobbed uncontrollably. Then she flinched and almost fell down – there was a soft knock on the door.

She gazed at it, unable to believe. Her fingers were shaking as she opened it. She couldn't believe...

"I followed you home," Severus said.

Narcissa looked into his black, serious eyes. "Why?" she asked, knowing how terrible she looked with her mascara running and her eyes red and swollen.

"I've changed my mind," Severus replied softly. "I don't know why I said what I said... I guess it just struck me that you looked so happy. I didn't think you needed me now."

Narcissa swallowed hard. "How could you think that?" she managed to say. "There was not one moment for the last twenty-five years that I didn't need you."

Severus took a hesitant step forward. "Narcissa, I – "

Narcissa tried to overcome the tears, that were threatening to flood her eyes all over again. "I've missed you," she said, her voice breaking.

"I've missed you too, baby," he said, his voice different now, and suddenly there was no space between them anymore. His strong arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him as his lips fastened on hers.

Narcissa moaned and clung onto him, placing her arms around his neck, responding passionately as the kiss grew deeper, satisfying hunger that had been suppressed for over twenty years. He entangled his hand in her long, soft, blond hair as the kiss finally grew soft and tender. She smiled against his lips.

"I know I look awful," she whispered. "With my eyes like that and – "

"Shh," Severus said, placing his index finger on her lips. "I want you to know that I have never seen a woman more beautiful than you."

And then they kissed again, and Narcissa knew the deepest, most desperate desire of her heart had finally come true.

----

**A/N:** So sorry for this lack of updates. I've had a very busy time and a writer's block... Hope you enjoyed the chapter, it was quite long, wasn't it? About this last scene – I think some of you already know I'm a Narcissa/Snape shipper. I think they're just perfect for each other. So I tried to satisfy your requests for snogging with them, because Hermione and Draco are still not quite ready. They will soon, though, don't worry. ;-)

Love, Roni.


	17. It Must Be Love

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Seventeen**

Draco lay in bed that night, too confused to fall asleep.

She was lying there, just inches from him; he was able to reach out and touch her. He recalled her lovely voice when she had been singing "Santa Baby", and it made his fingertips tingle all over again. She had looked so sexy and her voice had been so seducative, he just couldn't help it.

This was ridiculous. She was his wife; she was pregnant with his child; and yet, she was not his. She probably didn't even want the two of them to be more than friends. If it sometimes looked as if she did, it was probably because of her hormones going crazy during pregnancy time. And he... he felt the same way. Yes. It was good just the way it was. Friends was just fine.

He wanted to turn around to look at her. Just to make sure it really was fine.

_Don't turn,_ his mind warned. _Don't look at her... don't!_

But he already had. She was lying there on her back, sleeping so peacefully, a long, dark curl resting on her face. Draco leaned in to get a better look. He softly took the curl off her face, rubbing it between his fingers before placing it back on the pillow.

His eyes wandered down from her forehead to her lips, those soft, warm lips he had kissed not so long ago, that his own lips still remembered the way they tasted on his; down to her milky, soft neck that he had kissed to hear her moan in pleasure; down to the neckline of her white nightgown, which revealed a part of her full, enticing breasts; down to her stomach...

Her stomach...

Suddenly, it wasn't just Hermione lying next to him anymore. Inside her body, his own baby was growing, a little baby girl that was both his and Hermione's. The two of them had created this baby together; she was half-Hermione and half-Draco, and she was a real, live child.

Draco caught himself. He had been gazing at Hermione's stomach with his mouth half-open like an idiot for about two minutes. If she woke up now, she would think he was crazy. He cast a quick glance at her face to make sure she was still asleep.

Yes, she definitely was. Her chest heaving gently with every breath she took, her eyes closed, her hair spread on the pillow around her face – she looked like an angel.

This new feeling, the feeling that was spreading inside him, warming him up and making his cheeks flush as if he were fifteen again – was it there just because she was carrying his baby? Or had it been there the whole time, and he just didn't know?

----

Three days later, Tonks and Lupin got married.

"When did they choose Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to be the best man and the maid of honor?" Draco asked as they were sitting in the crowd with everyone else, waiting for the bride to walk in.

"Remus only told us last night," Harry said in a low voice. "He and Sirius promised each other they would be best men in each other's weddings after my Dad had died. But of course, that was before Sirius died as well... And since Remus is now the last Maraduer..."

Ginny took his hand in hers without a word. Then, trying to cheer him up, she said loudly: "I STILL don't get it. Why on earth would a groom want to wear a black tux on his wedding day?"

"I think Remus looks great," Hermione said truthfully. And she was right; Lupin indeed looked happier than he had in years, and much younger as well. The black tuxedo emphasized his light-brown hair and fair skin, making him almost glow.

"But still," Ginny protested, "he looks like he's in a funeral or something."

"Shh!" Ron said, his attention fixed on the door. They all turned to see what he was looking at.

The music had changed, and suddenly everyone was getting to their feet. They all stood up as well, waiting excitedly...

"There she is!" Ginny whispered.

And there she was. Tonks walked in, wearing her long, beautiful, white dress, her hair – now long, dark-blond and curly, with tiny silver magic stars in it – was down, wrapped gently around hair shoulders, reaching down to her waist. She was wearing a tiara and her face was exposed – and they could almost feel the warmth of her smile.

"She's beautiful," Hermione whispered. And indeed she was.

"I've never thought of Tonks as beautiful," Ron said in awe.

"She's really young, you know," Hermione said. "Only twenty five. But Remus is already thirty eight. Isn't it quite a difference?"

"Yeah, sure," Ron said, not bothering to listen. Luna was just whispering something in his ear, and they were smiling at each other. Hermione ts-tsked impatiently.

"Shh!" Ginny said. "She's there."

They all sat down and listened. The rest of the ceremony was very touching, or so Hermione thought, because she was the only one who shed tears as the Minister told Lupin "You may now kiss the bride". Well, Mrs. Weasley cried too, but the rest just looked excited.

Fifteen minutes later, they were down at the hall, eating dinner, when Mr. Weasley stood up with a glass of wine in his hand and cleared his throat. Everyone fell silent and listened.

_No one said anything at our wedding,_ Draco thought. _Well, it was obvious, since nobody was really happy at our wedding, maybe except for Mom._

"I've known our dear Tonks for almost ten years," Mr. Weasley said warmly, "and I've known Remus for more than twenty. I thought I knew them quite well, but I must admit that never, ever did it occur to me that they could be a couple. When they announced their engagement, I was shocked like everyone else..."

_As we were shocked when we heard that we were engaged,_ Draco thought bitterly.

"...but then I thought about it, and I realized that in fact, I'd been an idiot not to think of it before. They were just too right for each other, and luckily, they were smart enough to realize that. So let's wish them all the happiness in the world! Cheers!"

_Nobody wished us happiness... everbody was sure we were doomed to misery for the rest of our lives,_ Draco thought. _But they were wrong... right?_

Everyone clapped and drank their wine.

_Sure, they were wrong. Hermione and I are not miserable. Maybe we were at first, but now that we're friends, we get along well. Of course we would prefer something else if we had the choice, but..._

_We?_

_What do you mean, we?_

Draco shook his head hard. What was happening? He did not _like_ being married to Hermione, did he? Of course he would get a divorce if he could! But on the other hand, he had to admit it was better than being married to Pansy, for instance. Sure, marrying Hermione Granger was bad enough. But marrying a Pug was something different and much, much worse.

Then he caught himself. _Was_ marrying Hermione so bad after all? Four months before, he had been so miserable, so sure his life was doomed forever, but now that it was happening, now that he was trying to live through it, he wasn't sure it was so bad anymore.

And what's worse, he wasn't sure that if he were given the choice, he would give it up.

It was new, it was frightening. At least supposed to be. But somehow it wasn't. He felt as if this realization had been there all the time, and now he just had to accept it.

He glanced at Hermione. She was sitting there with her friends, chatting and laughing with them. He liked the sound of her laughter... he rarely heard it at home.

_What are you for me, Hermione?_ he wondered. _Are you my friend or my girl? Is this new feeling that I have is what I'm supposed to feel for my closest friend, or for the woman I love?_

The dances began. Lupin and Tonks were the first to dance, and soon, many other coupled joined. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Emily, Charlie and Caroline, Fred and Angelina, George and Katie, Harry and Ginny, Ron and Luna...

"Care to dance?" he heard himself say, and immediately his heart started to thud so hard in his chest, that she was probably deaf not to hear. His forehead was covered with tiny beads of sweat. _Why did I ask her without even thinking first? I could have at least say it nicer. 'Care to dance'... What kind of an idiot says 'care to dance' when he asks a girl for a dance?_

But Hermione didn't seem to think so. She smiled at him and nodded. "I'd love to," she said, stood up, and taking his hand, walked with him to the dancing area.

The song played was not too slow at the beginning, so when he placed his arms on her waist and felt hers around his neck, it didn't make him feel too uncomfortable, since they were moving all the time.

_**I never thought I'd miss you**_

_**Half as much as I do**_

_**And I never thought I'd feel this way**_

_**The way I feel**_

_**About you**_

Soon, however, all around them, couples were clinging onto each other. Ginny rested her head on Harry's shoulder. George and Katie kissed softly and smiled at each other.

Draco felt Hermione moving closer and pressing her body against his, and knew she could feel his hearbeats, which were so fast now it was ridiculous to call them 'hearbeats' – it was more like 'heartbuzz'. And the closer Hermione moved, the more buzzy it became.

_**As soon as I wake up**_

_**Every night, every day**_

_**I know that it's you I need**_

_**To take the blues away**_

_What is it,_ he asked himself repeatedly, _what is it that I feel now? Is it just a warm affection for a close friend, or is it... love?_

Hermione raised her eyes to look at him, and her eyes were big and warm and full of tenderness.

_**It must be love, love, love**_

_**It must be love, love, love**_

_**Nothing more, nothing less**_

_**Love is the best**_

He wanted to drown in them, he could stay there and look into her eyes forever without letting go... _It must be love..._ And then he knew, without the shadow of a doubt. _It is love!_

---

**A/N:** Short chapter, I know. But I promise to update as soon as I can.

Some of you didn't like the Narcissa/Snape part in the last chapter, and others did... Well, I never intended to focus on them too much anyway – it's a Draco/Hermione fic, after all. I'm glad you liked the songs – I recommend them both to you: "All I Want for Christmas" by Mariah Carey and "Santa Baby" by Kylie Minogue. In this chapter, the song was "It Must Be Love", by Madness.


	18. Yearning

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Eighteen**

_When will I get the chance to tell her?_ Draco wondered as he was sitting down for breakfast, Hermione across the table, her eyes locked on a letter she had just received. She was nearly two months pregnant now, and her hormones were definitely working extra hours.

"I can't believe it!" she exclaimed, so suddenly Draco almost fell off his chair. "I can't believe it! Oh, I can't believe it!"

"What is it?" Draco demanded.

"Lavender Brown has gotten married!" Hermione said, looking at the letter with wide eyes full of shock and fury.

"What? Who's that owl from?"

"Ginny. She says Lavender got married about a week ago. _Why wasn't I invited?_" Hermione wailed.

"Umm – "said Draco.

"I helped her!" Hermione cried, angry tears now starting to flow down her cheeks. "I helped her, remember? At St. Mungo's. I met her and she told me she was pregnant with Nott's baby, and I comforted her and did my best to make her feel better and gave her advice, and now she won't even invite me to her wedding?!"

"Was she invited to our wedding?" Draco asked.

"Of course she was!" Hermione raged. "And she had a good seat, too! And it's not even four months since then, and now she runs off and gets married and doesn't even bother to send me an invitation, as if I didn't even exist! I thought she was my _friend_!"

And Hermione broke down completely, burying her face in her hands, her whole body shaking in hysterical sobs. Draco felt very uncomfortable for a minute, watching her like an idiot with no idea what to do next – but before he could think, his feet had already carried him around the table to her side. He sat down next to her and patted her back, and she turned and buried her head in his shoulder, still sobbing.

"Shh... Hermione, it's okay," Draco whispered, wrapping a protective arm around her. "Don't cry. Shh..."

Hermione continued to cry softly for a moment or two, and then raised big, reddish eyes full of tears to meet his. She was staring at him in wonder, and Draco's mind cleared itself of all thoughts in a second. All he knew was that she was so close to him now; her hands on his shoulders, his arm around her, her face mere inches from his; and that this proximity was making him dizzy. So dizzy, he was afraid he would lose his balance and drop to the floor.

Hermione moved her gaze from his eyes to his lips, and still wearing that look of wonder, she slowly began to lean in... and Draco responded and leaned in as well. He had been anticipating this for so long without realizing it, he wanted her, he needed her, he –

But just then he looked at her eyes one last time, and saw the redness of crying and the residue of tears below them – and he couldn't.

He pulled back just as Hermione moved faster forward, and she almost fell down. She straightened herself quickly and gazed at him in a mingle of misunderstanding and hurt. "What's your problem?" she demanded.

"N-nothing," Draco stammered. _Oh, how I am going to hate myself for this._ "I just – I just can't do it."

"Can't do _what_, exactly?" Hermione inquired.

"You know what I mean. I can't. I'm sorry," said Draco, indeed hating himself more and more with every word. "I want to make you feel better, but not this way."

"Whyever not?" Hermione demanded.

Draco took a deep breath and sighed. "Because of your hormones," he said flatly.

"Excuse me?" Hermione's mouth dropped open.

"Because of your hormones. You're pregnant now. Your hormones are going crazy. And you're very vulnerable at the moment, because you've been crying over your friend Lavender and you just want to comfort yourself. If I kissed you now, I'd be taking advantage of the situation."

"What are you talking about?" Hermionr sputtered. "I was going to kiss _you_!"

"I can't let you," Draco said firmly, wondering how he could sound so sure of himself when he was despising every word he said. "You're vulnerable, you're hurt, you're not thinking normally, and you're also pregnant. I can't let you kiss me like that."

"But I'm your wife!" Hermione protested.

"It doesn't matter."

Hermione frowned, leaned back in her chair, folded her arms and clenched her teeth. "Fine," she said coldly.

Draco sighed. "Look, I don't want you to be mad or anything. I'm really sorry. I've got to head off to work."

"Go then. Who's stopping you?" said Hermione just as coldly.

Draco decided to give up. "Well, see you in the evening. I hope you'll be in a better mood then."

"Why? Will you be willing to kiss me if I am?" replied Hermione sarcastically.

Draco chose not to answer and started for the door.

Just as he set his foot out in the hall, Hermione called him: "Draco."

He turned around and looked at her.

"If you didn't want to kiss me," Hermione said, "why did you lean in at first? Why did you make it seem like you were going to kiss me too, and then pulled back at the last second?"

Draco stood there and stared at her, truly not knowing what to do next. Should he tell her the truth – how much he wanted to kiss her, how he was going to give in, and then how he suddenly realized he couldn't – because of her?

"I guess I got carried away," he finally said. "It... it felt right. But then I remembered it wasn't."

Hermione just sat there and watched him. But then she lowered her eyes to the floor. "Okay," she said.

"I'll go now," said Draco.

"Bye," she said.

----

Draco never had too much work to do in his office. He always had a lot of time to think. So now he was sitting with his feet on the desk, recalling that morning, wondering if he had been right in his decision.

_Why didn't I take the chance?_ A voice in his mind wailed. _I'm such an idiot! She was about to kiss me, and I turned her down. I finally realize that I love her – and then, when she tries to kiss me, I turn her down! I'll have to wait till the next decade for such a good opportunity again. Now I totally ruined my chances with her. Why, why was I such a jerk?_

Hermione's face came to his mind again. She had not understood why he had rejected her like that, why he leaned in and made her think he was going to kiss her back – and then, all of a sudden, pulled back...

And he did not understand, too. All right, so she was vulnerable. Who cares? The important thing was she actually _wanted_ to kiss him – perhaps even more than that – out of her own free will. Had he kissed her back, he wouldn't have had to tell her he loved her first. He wouldn't have had to do anything. They would have kissed, and then they would have kissed more, and then he would have felt free to kiss her whenever he wanted, and they would've been together and –

_So why didn't I just kiss her back?_ Draco wondered. _There must have been a reason... If it could have been so good – I must have had a reason not to do that... It probably was a stupid reason, but at least it was a reason!_

His eyes darted around his office and lingered at the window. There, outside, he watched a gray owl flying towards one of the other windows... and then he remembered the owl Hermione had received that morning – and he knew.

She was so sensitive now. Much too sensitive. She had been so furious and hurt due to Lavender's wedding – much more hurt than he thought she was supposed to be. She had been getting to emotional lately, her moods changing so quickly, and every mood was so extreme. When she was angry, she would scream and run wild with anger. When she was happy, she would laugh out loud and act like she was drunk. And when she was sad or hurt, mostly over nothing, she would burst out crying at once. Draco knew what it meant. Her hormones were going crazy because of the pregnancy. She wasn't herself. When she had tried to kiss him, she didn't do it because she wanted to – she only thought she did...

It striked him so clearly now, that he was surprised he hadn't realized it ages before. Why hadn't he been able to take advantage of the situation and kiss her back?

Simple. Because he loved her. He loved her enough so he couldn't do this to her. He loved her enough to want her to kiss him because she really wanted to, not because her hormones were going crazy.

So it was obvious now what he had to do. It killed him to think that, but he knew this was the only way. He couldn't tell Hermione how he felt about her; at least not until the baby was born and she stopped being so sensitive.

----

Months passed by quickly and soon it was spring again. Hermione's stomach had began to curve and they were both thrilled about it. The birth was due to August and they both felt how they couldn't wait.

One night in April Draco lay in bed, watching the woman of his dreams lying so close to him, as he had done many times before. She was too good to be true.

_You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off of you_

_You'd be like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much_

Draco watched her in pain, biting his lip so hard that he could taste blood in his mouth. She was lying there, covered by the blanket, her hair long and wavy and falling down her shoulders and back, her chocolate-brown eyes, which were so warm and tender, now closed. Draco was wondering how it was possible that a pregnant woman was able to stay so sexy and excite him so much with just one smile.

It was painful to watch her, because he needed her so much; he knew he couldn't do anything about it, nothing at all to make her his. He had made up his mind – he would wait until after the birth to tell her. But it was so hard to do that. Too hard. And the more time that passed, the harder it became.

He wanted Hermione, he needed Hermione, he loved Hermione more than everything. He couldn't imagine anyone else as his wife. Sometimes it seemed ridiculous... he loved his wife, she was pregnant with his baby, and yet he wasn't allowed to touch her or kiss her or even tell her he loved her. He should have seen this coming. His mother had always told him that a man and a woman couldn't live together and be good friends for a long time without being attracted to each other, not even a tiny bit. But at the time, of course, he had been sure he could never be attracted to Hermione Granger.

He had been wrong, of course; Draco was not sure now whether he had ever been that attracted to _anyone_. He had never been turned on by pregnant women. But oh boy, this woman turned him on no matter what she looked like. Even now in her sleep, he couldn't help but wanting her, more than anything.

Hermione stirred in her sleep and Draco's heart constricted in his chest; she was so beautiful, he almost couldn't think. He leaned in a bit, just to feel her closer; he felt her breath on his face and closed his eyes; he would soon go crazy if he couldn't –

But then something moved beneath him. He opened his eyes quickly and saw Hermione starting to wake up. She took a deep breath and opened her own eyes, to find him staring at her.

"Hey," she murmured.

"H-hey," Draco stammered. "What's wrong? Why'd you wake up?"

"I thought I felt something..." Hermione twitched her face and placed her hand on her curved stomach. "No. Nothing now."

"What? What did you feel?" asked Draco.

"Never mind," Hermione mumbled. Then her expression changed. "There it is again! Hurry! Feel it!"

Draco placed his hand on her stomach quickly, and unbelievably – he definitely felt stirring there, inside Hermione's stomach. Something was kicking...

"Th-the baby!" Draco panted. "It's kicking!"

"I can't believe it!" Hermione exclaimed. "It took her so long, I thought she would be one of those babies who just don't kick. But she is kicking now! It's marvelous, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," said Draco.

They lay there quietly for a while, just feeling the kicking. After a few minutes it stopped. The baby had probably gone tired.

"You know we haven't picked a middle name for her yet?" Hermione broke the silence.

"You're right, we haven't," said Draco, "but I thought of one."

"Oh?"

"Julia. Amy Julia Malfoy. Doesn't that sound good?"

Hermione stared at him for a moment. "How do you do that?" she demanded. "You picked the perfect first name and now you pick the perfect middle name, how?"

"It's a gift, I guess," Draco replied with typical modesty. "So do we agree on Julia as her middle name?"

"Absolutely."

They stared at each other for another long moment.

"I think she will be the most loved baby in the world," Draco said. "Really."

"I think so too," Hermione replied. "To tell you the truth, when I first heard that I had to have a baby with you, I didn't think you'd actually love your baby. This is one of the reasons I was so angry. But now I have no doubt that you will. You will love Amy, I know. More than anything. And you'll make a great dad. I know you will."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know you," Hermione said simply.

"Well, thank you," Draco said, feeling a little touched. "I knew you'd make a wonderful mother all along, actually. You're just the type."

"Thank you," Hermione said softly.

Another long moment passed. Then Draco took a long breath and sighed.

"Well. Long day tomorrow. Guess I'd better try to get some sleep. Night."

"Good night," Hermione whispered back. Draco turned around, closed his eyes and tried to force himself to think about other things, and not about how soft her voice sounded in his ears, or how her eyes glittered as they watched him in the dark.

He almost fell asleep when Hermione whispered: "Draco?"

"Yes?" he said without tossing.

"Why were you awake when the baby started kicking?"

Draco turned to face her; her eyes were wide and she was looking right at him, which made his heart thump.

He could say: "I was awake because I couldn't fall asleep. Your presence here next to me keeps me so tense, than sometimes I really can't sleep. I just watch you and think how beautiful you are and how badly I want you, even though I know I can never have you, and that's why I was up tonight."

But he remembered how sensitive she was. He wanted her to say she loved him for real, because she really felt it, not because her hormones were causing her to feel things that normally she would have never felt.

And so he simply said: "I was upset about an argument I had today with my boss. I was thinking how to make up with him tomorrow, and it kept me up. Good night, Hermione." And he turned his back to her again.

----

**A/N:** I am so, so, so, so sorry for the long wait!!! It has never happened to me before, I know. But I had the hugest writer's block ever. I was beginning to be afraid I would never know what to write. Every word was so difficult to think of and I deleted and wrote this chapter over and over again because it wasn't good enough. I'm not even sure it was good enough now, but it's the best I could do and I thought three weeks were definitely an exaggeration. I apologize again and I'll do my best to update as soon as I get over this block! If I don't update, don't think I disappeared in space or something... I just have tons of schoolwork. And a writer's block. Not a good combination, huh?

Love always,

Roni Black.


	19. The Last Month

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Nineteen**

The next three months passed very slowly for Draco. Every day he woke up with the most enchanting woman in the world next to him, but he couldn't even touch her. Every day, Hermione's stomach grew and swelled, and it made her even more beautiful, in Draco's eyes. She was graceful and gentle with every movement and gesture she made. She was also getting more and more sensitive about everything that happened around her, and Draco watched her in pain, because he was beginning to resent himself for his decision.

It was around the end of the eighth month of the pregnancy that the headaches started, and very brutally indeed. Hermione simply woke up one morning and was unable to get up from the pain.

"What's the matter?" Draco asked as she crawled back into bed after an unsuccessful attempt to rise and a sigh. He was standing at the door, just about to wear his Cloak.

"I don't know. I'm not feeling so well," Hermione groaned. She held her head and closed her eyes shut. "My head aches."

"Did you drink something last night?" Draco joked.

"Not funny," said Hermione, sighing again. "I'm really not feeling well, Draco... can you get me a glass of water?"

"Umm... sure," Draco said and got out. He walked downstairs, a bit worried... what was going on with Hermione? Was she ill? Might a headache be dangerous for a pregnant woman?

When he was back, Hermione tried to smile at him, but failed due to the pain. "Thank you," she mumbled and drank the water before collapsing back onto the bed.

"Hermione... should I get some help? Perhaps a Healer from St. Mungo's?" Draco suggested, very worried by now.

"No, I'll just not go to my Auror Training today," Hermione said. "You can go now, I'll be all right."

"Well... okay," Draco said, patting her and walking off. As soon as he reached the door, however, he changed his mind and came back.

"I'm not leaving you," he said. "I'm staying here for today. Anything else you need?"

Hermione gazed at him as if he were crazy. "Excuse me? What do you mean, you're not leaving me?"

"I'm not going to work today," Draco informed her. "I'm staying here with you until you get better."

"Why?" Hermione demanded.

"Because you are my friend. And my child's mother. And my wife," said Draco in a low voice.

Hermione stared at him for another moment. Then her lips curved into a soft smile.

----

For the next few days, Hermione could hardly get out of bed from the pain. Draco stayed with her all along. Not going to work, he took care of her, got her everything she needed and hardly left the bed.

Every few days, Hermione tried gently to remind him that he had work, but Draco refused to hear about it. He wanted to stay. For one reason, he was worried about her and the baby. And he could hardly admit it to himself, but he was also enjoying her company. He liked spending the entire day at her side, bringing her everything she needed, taking care of her.

Did Hermione realize that? Apparently not. She seemed to be thinking of nothing but the horrible aches in her head. She thanked him with a gleam in her eyes every few hours, but immediately went back to the pains.

On the fifth day, Hermione felt a little better. She sat in bed and asked Draco to put on some music. When he did, she closed her eyes and listened...

_I know you_

_I walked with you once upon a dream_

_I know you_

_The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam_

_Yes I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem_

_But if I know you_

_I know what you'll do_

_You'll love me at once_

_The way you did once_

_Upon a dream_

"Charming," Hermione murmured and opened her eyes. Draco was there, mere inches from her, watching her with his big gray eyes, full of wonderment and hope...

"I did have a very good dream last night," said Hermione, smiling at him.

"Oh?" said Draco.

"Yes. I can't really remember it... I just know you were in it. And it was wonderful."

_Kiss her now, kiss her now, it's time to kiss her,_ Draco's mind screamed. He was not going to miss this chance. If he did, he would probably not get another one until the next millenium. He didn't care she was pregnant, and sensitive, and ill – all he knew was that he had a chance, and he wasn't going to miss it, no matter what.

He collected his strength. _Don't worry,_ he encouraged himself. _She won't turn you down. And the moment your lips touch hers, she'll be yours forever. Don't be a coward, don't miss this chance!_

It was time. He knew it. Slowly, very slowly, he leaned in. But as he did, he looked at her once more, and felt his heart sink like a nail in water.

Hermione was not even looking at him – she was looking at a tiny gray owl which had just flew inside. Draco wanted to kill that owl as he watched Hermione take the letter from its leg and patting it affectionately.

"It's Pig!" She told Draco excitedly.

"Pig?" Draco repeated, staring at her.

"Pigwidgeon. We call him Pig. He's Ron's. I wonder what he wrote!" Hermione exclaimed, tearing the envelope.

Draco gazed at her as she managed to slide a roll of parchment out and unfold it.

"_Pigwidgeon?_" he repeated.

"Yes, yes, Pidwigeon. Ginny gave him that name. Why? Something wrong with it?" Hermione asked, her eyes running over the parchment.

"Nothing," said Draco, his temper rising, "only it's a remarkably idiotic name for an owl."

Hermione looked at him over the roll of parchment, frowning. "Well, Ron will agree, I think. He didn't like that name at all, but it was too late. So now it's Pig."

"I've never seen anything that looked less like a pig," said Draco hotly.

"That's what Harry said," Hermione agreed, still reading the letter, not even looking at him.

But Draco had had enough. He could hardly control himself now; he felt he was about to outburst. It had taken him so long to get a chance to kiss her, and now that he had, it was ruined because of a bloody little owl named Pig who couldn't have gotten there six seconds later.

He was about to explode and he knew it. And he didn't want to. Hermione would not appreciate it very much if he did. So he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, still reading the damned letter.

"Oh, just downstairs," said Draco, not controlling himself at all at that moment. "I think I'll have a cup of tea and think what a stupid person names his owl _Pigwidgeon_."

"Hey!" Hermione called angrily. "You don't have to be so nasty, you know. I happen to think it's quite a cute name."

"Oh yeah? Then let's name our daughter Pigwidgeon instead of Amy," Draco raged, storming out of the room.

"What has gotten into you?" Hermione called desperately after him as he stomped his way downstairs. He stopped to hear her words. "One moment you're so nice and all, and the next moment you... you turn into the world's greatest git all over again!"

"Guess that's who I am, huh?" Draco yelled back, starting to run all the way downstairs. Hermione had probably given up, because she didn't call him back.

Draco stormed into the living room, slamming the door shut so loudly that he was sure Hermione could hear him, two floors above his head. He was too angry to sit down, so he merely walked around the room, his fists clenched, his face lit up with fury and rage.

Why, why had that ridiculous owl had to butt in precisely at that moment? If only it had come half a minute later, Draco would have already kissed Hermione and she would have been his forever, and an owl coming in would not have changed anything.

Instead, there he was, downstairs, having yelled at Hermione and insulted her, regretting it so deeply that he dug his nails into his hands and closed his eyes in frustration. He hated missed opportunities... he knew he would not get another one soon. Would he even get a chance to come near Hermione soon? Would she forgive him for his behavior?

His own words kept coming back to him... _Guess that's who I am._ Probably so. He would never stop being "the world's greatest git", as Hermione had put it, and therefore, she would never love him back.

Draco kicked the wall. If only he could force himself not to love her as well... because she would probably never change, too, she would always remain the same irritating bookworm she had been the day he had met her for the first time, when they were eleven.

And that was the way he loved her. Just as annoying, bookish and obsessed-about-everything as she was. He wanted her just the way she was. He didn't want to change a single detail about her.

It was hopeless. And he knew it.

----

A few hours later, Draco dared to go back upstairs to apologize.

"I feel awful," Hermione sighed as she buried her face in the pillow. "And I must look a wreck, too."

"No you don't," Draco protested.

Hermione shook her head.

"I'm sorry about before," said Draco quietly.

"It's okay," Hermione mumbled. "I wasn't too angry in the first place. Don't worry about it."

_Why does she have to feel so bad?_ Draco thought desperately. _If only she was well now, this may have been another chance for me._

----

A month later, approximately, Draco woke up in the middle of the night to hear Hermione's choked breaths.

"Hermione!" he gasped, turning the light on. "What's the matter? What is it?"

"I don't know," Hermione groaned, biting her lip hard. "I don't feel good at all." She didn't look good as well. Her face was white and she was sweating and panting.

"I'm taking you straight to St. Mungo's," said Draco firmly.

"No – wait a minute," Hermione gasped, grabbing his hand and pulling him closer. "I think I'm going into labor. Draco – I – I don't know if I'm able to – "

"You can do it, Hermione," said Draco in a comforting voice, "I know you can. It'll be okay. You can do it. You will be all right, I promise. Now let me take you to the hospital."

"Draco – wait," Hermione panted, not letting go of his hand. "I need to tell you something..."

Draco waited. She closed her eyes and groaned again. He waited for a long moment, and when she said nothing, he said: "Hermione, you really look like you need to go to the hospital. Let me take you, it will be okay, I promise – "

"Draco," Hermione murmured so softly, "I want to tell you..."

"What is it, Hermione?" said Draco.

"If I don't survive it – "

"Of course you will," Draco cut her off.

Hermione ignored him and went on. Draco had to lean in to hear her... "If I don't survive it, I just want you to know... I want you to know – what the last months have meant to me – "

She sighed, overcoming her pain, and continued: "They were great, Draco, really... I... I've never thought I could love – being pregnant with your baby – but I did, I really did... It's the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Draco gazed at her.

"And I want you to know something else as well," said Hermione hoarsely, opening his eyes and looking straight into his. And then Draco knew. He knew what she was about to say. This was a moment when you tell someone that you love them, nothing else... He knew it. He had longed to hear her say it...

"Draco," Hermione began, "I..."

"Yes?" said Draco softly, encouraging her to go on. His whole body shook with expectation. He was starting to pant as well.

"I – "Hermione said, and then gasped. She twitched once, as if something horrible had happened, and then dropped back, panting like she had run a mile.

"What?" Draco said, getting extremely worried. "What happened? Tell me!"

"I – I think I've just had a contraction," Hermione gasped. "God... Draco – take me to St. Mungo's, now. I – I don't know if I can take another one – "

Draco grabbed her and Disapparated immediately. Two minutes later, Healers had already placed Hermione on a wheelchair and taken her. As Draco started to jog after them, his last thought was, as worried as he was about Hermione's condition, and as happy as he was about Amy finally coming... _Why, why couldn't she wait two more minutes???_

----

**A/N:** I could apologize forever for the lack of updates, and everything you might say is true. It has never happened before, I know... But I've also never had such a busy time at school. It's my toughest year. I hope you understand... Anyway, I promise I'll do my best to update soon. Next chapter – Amy coming. And by the way, the song Draco put on is Once Upon A Dream, from Disney's Sleeping Beauty movie.


	20. Now I'm a Believer

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Twenty**

It was over. Everyone had gone home. Hermione was finally sleeping. She had been through a very painful delivery, and the Healers assumed she would need at least a week to recover completely. Her body was exhausted. But as she had said in a faint smile, just before she fell asleep, the important thing was that she had delivered a perfectly healthy, beautiful baby girl.

The baby girl was sleeping too in a crib by Hermione's bed. The Healers had said Hermione needed her sleep and offered to take the baby to the babies room, where she would be treated by Healers if she woke up, but Hermione refused. No matter how bad she felt, she would not allow anyone to take her baby from her.

"They know what they're doing there, Hermione," Draco had tried to convince her. "This is not their first baby. They'll take good care of her. And besides, they said your body needed the rest. Babies don't sleep more than three or four hours in a row, which means you will hardly get any sleep tonight. Let them take her."

But Hermione refused. "I am not going to let anyone but you take care of my baby," she said determinedly. "I don't care if she wakes me up ten times tonight. I'll do whatever it takes, but I'm not letting them take her."

The Healers had finally gave up, and allowed her to take the baby with her. Now the two of them were sleeping.

Draco sat by the window, watching the rain outside, his heart soaring up, up to the sky, past the walls of rain and clouds, right up to Heaven. He was a father... a father to the most beautiful baby girl.

He had to see her again. Slowly, trying not to make a sound, he got up and walked over to the crib. He leaned over it and watched his sleeping daughter.

She was a real piece of art, he had thought as he examined her delicate, innocent face. She had fine, soft hair, very fair, smooth skin, a cute little nose and well-shaped lips. Her long eyelashes were resting on her cheeks, just below her peacefully-closed eyes, which, as Draco had seen before, were almond-shaped and in the color of the sky just after a storm. Narcissa and Mrs. Granger, who had been sobbing hysterically from the excitement of becoming grandmothers, had said that the baby had taken everything from Hermione, only with Draco's colors.

Amy Malfoy.

They had decided not to give her a middle name. Draco said he had never liked his own middle name (it was Lucius), and always wondered why on earth middle names were so necessary, and Hermione agreed.

"But when you agreed on a name for a boy it was Kenneth Elliot," Ron insisted. "Why not give the girl a middle name too?"

"We've changed our minds, all right?" said Draco. "We like it short now. Amy Malfoy and that's it."

"Do you have to snap at Ron like that?" Hermione scolded.

"Yes," Draco replied dryly.

"I guess you'll never change, will you?" said Hermione, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

"Trust me, dear, I've been saying that every day for the last nineteen years and nothing has changed, as you can see," Narcissa said after shoving Draco aside."

"Hopeless," Hermione sighed and turned back to chat with Ron and Harry.

Draco had been considering himself all his life as someone without emotions, or at least as someone who was above them. Yes, he liked his mother, of course, but love? Who thought about love? He had had crushes on several girls, yes, but he had never thought of anyone in terms of 'love'. And yet, now, in the dark of the night, with his daughter sleeping so peacefully in the crib near him and his wife in the bed just next to him, he knew he was not above any emotion. There were at least three people in this world whom he did love, very much. His mother... Hermione... and this beautiful baby girl, Amy.

More ridiculous than anything. Love was a sign of weakness, because he could be taken advantage of. Love was a dream, and dreams were for weak and foolish people. Malfoys didn't love. Malfoys were too proud to let anyone take advantage of them. Malfoys were not pitiful Hufflepuffs, who were so loyal and sentimental, nor were they pathetic Gryffindors, so noble and sensitive.

This was what his father had taught him, and this was what he had grown to believe in. No one in the world was worth becoming weak for, Lucius had said, and Draco had accepted, because he knew nothing else. His father had never loved anyone; he had never loved Narcissa, and he had never even loved Draco. Although, as Narcissa only dared to say after he had died, his feelings for Draco were the closest thing to love as he was able to feel. Draco had supposed this was the way things should be. You should never allow emotions to take over you, Lucius had said, and Draco had nodded and gone along with that thought.

But after his father had died, Narcissa was finally able to spend as much time with Draco as she wanted and explain to him her own viewpoint on the world, and the realization that love was not necessarily for fools began to sink in, even if he wasn't aware of it.

So now he loved. He was capable of loving, and it overwhelmed him, but in a good way; it made him want to do things he had never felt like doing before – how about singing, for example? But no, it was ridiculous, he couldn't start singing at a hospital room and wake up everyone, including Hermione and Amy. Everyone would think he went crazy. And yet he had to do something with that acknowledgement. One more look at Hermione and Amy's faces and the singing burst inside his head, even if he didn't let it out:

_I thought love was only true in fairy tales_

_Meant for someone else, but not for me_

_Love was out to get me, that's the way it seemed_

_Disappointment haunted all my dreams_

_And then I saw her face_

_Now I'm a believer_

_Not a trace of doubt in my mind_

_I'm in love_

_Ooh, I'm a believer_

_I couldn't leave her_

_If I tried..._

----

After you're up 22 hours straight, it isn't easy to be woken up by a screaming baby demanding to be fed or changed, Draco and Hermione soon discovered. Amy seemed to have very good lungs. She could go on and on squealing, and although they received help during the day from Healers and guests – especially from Narcissa, Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Weasley – and Hermione would never admit it, the two of them soon wished Hermione had agreed to let the Healers take Amy away at nights.

Hermione was too proud to admit her mistake, but she was getting weaker and more exhausted with each hour she couldn't sleep, and after three days she was practically a wreck. And then, even though she tried to protest, Draco said he didn't care about anything – he went to the Healers and asked them to take the baby to the babies room at nights.

"But didn't your wife say she wanted to take care of the baby on her own, sir?" the Healer asked, curling a strand of her hair around her finger in confusion.

"She changed her mind," Draco replied.

"But wouldn't she be mad? She really didn't seem to want to give her up at – "

"Just do your job and take the baby, will you?" Draco snapped impatiently.

"Why'd you do that?" Hermione inquired after the Healer had left with Amy in her arms. "Why did you have to yell at her like that?"

"I'm tired, all right? I didn't get a real sleep for four days. I'm not in the mood for being patient. Now let's go to bed."

He started for the bed, then stopped when they both realized the other possible meaning of what he had just said.

"Okay, that's not what I meant," said Draco, very nervously.

"I know," said Hermione.

"Maybe I should summon up another bed," Draco suggested.

"You can't," said Hermione, "there's this magical bonding thing, remember?"

"Oh. Right." Draco felt his face on fire. Somehow it was much worse sleeping in the same bed with the one you secretly love than with your least favorite person in the world.

Hermione moved a little to make some room for him. He got in and pulled the blanket up to his chin. He felt his whole body shake and did his best to hide it.

"Good night," Hermione murmured sleepily.

"Good night, Hermione," said Draco. He tried to close his eyes, but couldn't. There they were, all alone in the room for the first time since Amy had been born...

_Get a grip of yourself,_ he told himself sternly. _She isn't feeling well, she's exhausted, she hasn't slept well for days, you should get some sleep too..._

"...Hermione?" he said.

"Mmm?" Hermione murmured, her eyes shut.

"Aren't you at all nervous?" Draco dared to ask.

"About what?" Hermione asked in a very drowsy voice.

"You know... the two of us... here... all alone... in the same narrow hospital bed..."

"Oh?" murmured Hermione. "It's not the first time we're sleeping together, is it?"

"No, but – "

"Good night, Draco," said Hermione drowsily.

Draco sighed. He knew this feeling. He was not going to fall asleep tonight.

----

Hermione woke up as the sunlight poured into the room through the window. She yawned and opened her eyes. Next to her, Draco got tense.

"Good morning," she said, smiling at him.

"Uh... morning," he replied. He looked awful. His eyes were red and had black bags under them. His hair was a mess.

"What happened to you? Didn't you get some sleep?" she wondered.

"Some sleep?" he muttered. "I didn't sleep all night. Seriously."

"How could you not sleep?" Hermione asked in astonishment. "You were exhausted as I was! I slept like a baby myself. What happened? Did I snore or something?"

"No, no," Draco chuckled. "It's just that... oh, never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, don't do this to me. What?"

"I..." Draco looked into her eyes and had no idea how to finish the sentence. He couldn't tell her why he hadn't been able to sleep. He couldn't!

"Well?" Hermione demanded.

Just then, a Healer came in with little Amy in her arms. "Good morning, Mrs. Malfoy," she said brightly. "Time for Amy's breakfast! Would you like to feed her?"

"Of course I would," Hermione said at once, sitting up. "Thank you."

It was becoming almost technical business to watch Hermione breast-feeding Amy, and Draco was getting pretty much used to it. Hermione didn't seem to find it at all embarrassing. Draco was almost mad at himself for still finding this even a little arousing.

Narcissa was the first to arrive, as usual, at about nine A. M., looking as glamorous as always in a purple-blue cloak, with her long, golden curls falling all the way down to her waist. In fact, she didn't look much older than Hermione herself – nobody would have believed she was a grandmother.

Draco was a little surprised to see none other than Snape walk in after Narcissa. He had known his mother had gotten back to him, but he hadn't seen Snape since the end of his seventh year, more than a year before.

Hermione, however, looked dumbstruck too see Snape. No one had told her about Narcissa and Snape's relationship.

"Hello, you two!" said Narcissa cheerfully. "You remember Severus, don't you? I asked him to come along. Where is my granddaughter?"

"Right here," Hermione choked, her eyes still on Snape.

Snape looked even more uncomfortable than Draco and Hermione felt. "Umm... I think I'll wait outside, Narcissa," he said, starting for the door as Narcissa took little Amy in her arms and covered her face with kisses.

"No, don't go," Narcissa said, pulling him back and forcing him to sit down. "I want you to meet Amy. Look, Amy, this is Severus. Can you say Severus? S – e – v – r – u – s? It's easy. Let's hear you try."

The corner of Snape's mouth twitched. Draco and Hermione didn't dare looking at each other, afraid they might burst out laughing.

And yet, as Narcissa carefully placed Amy in Severus's lap, he seemed to soften a little. He held her gently, even with a slight smile, and Hermione's eyes opened so wide she seemed almost like Luna for a second.

"Mom – you've done miracles," Draco murmured.

And Narcissa simply smiled, went over and wrapped an arm around Snape's shoulders, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek and sitting down next to him.

----

**A/N:** Wow!!! I've passed the one-thousand reviews, I can't believe it! You know, even when I'm so busy these days, I'm following my reviews. You're so great. I'm so glad you're enjoying my story, and even though some of you warned me I'd lose readers if I don't update more often, I'm glad most of you stayed loyal. :-) Good luck, all of you who have schoolchores, how I understand you! Oh, and by the way, the song Draco sang in his mind was I'm a Believer by Smash Mouth (there are other versions, but this is my favorite one).

Oh, and I know you can't wait for Hermione and Draco to snog already, but if you're following the story, you probably understand where it is going. In other words: stay tuned and you won't be disappointed!

Love you always,

Roni Black.


	21. The Wondrous World of Love

**A/N:** I want to thank the readers who supported me about the updates. I'm a junior now and it's the toughest year at school and I'm glad you understand that. To the rest of you – I really am sorry, trust me I'm doing the best I can and don't be mad if I can't update once every few days like I used to! When I wrote my first stories – in fact, every story until Against All Odds, where I was under pressure too – my reviewers actually praised me for updating remarkably often, at least twice a week. So you can understand that if it were up to me, I'd update almost every day, and if you see I'm not doing it, be sure it's because I really can't and not because I want to annoy people. OK? :-)

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Chapter Twenty One**

September, October and November soon passed. They were happy in Draco and Hermione's eyes. Little Amy was growing and getting more beautiful with each day that passed. She could soon smile, and her smile was "the most beautiful sight that has ever been seen in the Malfoy Manor", as Draco stated it. She could soon lift her head and look around. She was the most lovable creature that Draco had ever seen. Every day guests came, and the first thing they did, even before saying hi, was to run to Amy's crib. Some of the guests were very expected, like Harry, the Weasleys, Hagrid and Narcissa. But when Narcissa began to drag Snape along with her every time she came (which was at least once every two days), Draco noticed Hermione was getting almost as uncomfortable as Snape was. And this was not the only thing. Snape apparently felt that it was not fair that he was the only teacher who was dragged unwillingly to visit Draco and Hermione, and so, every once in a while, he brought another teacher along with him; and "I'm sorry, but it's disturbing to see Snape and McGonagall, the two toughest teachers at Hogwarts, cuddling and playing with my baby," said Hermione.

In mid-September it was Draco and Hermione's first anniversary and Hermione's nineteenth birthday on the same day. Hermione recalled how miserable she had been only a year before, and how she had been so sure she would never grow to like her life in the Malfoy Manor.

"But now... I don't know. I can say, for the first time, that I'm actually happy. I've gotten used to this manor and I never notice how cold and gloomy it is anymore. Draco and I are getting along fine. And now I have the most beautiful baby girl. How can I not be happy?"

"What about Draco?" Ginny inquired. "What do you mean, you're 'getting along fine'?"

Ginny had just graduated from Hogwarts; she was eighteen-years-old, a real beauty and a very successful Quidditch player. She had signed a contract with Puddlemear United to be one of their Chasers. She and Harry were planning to get married somewhere around Harry's next birthday in July.

Hermione flushed a little. "We're good friends. Really good friends. Look what he got me for our anniversary," she said, showing Ginny a beautiful silver necklace around her neck. "And this is for my birthday," she added, pointing at the blue silk dress she was wearing. "Isn't it nice of him to get me two presents, even though it's on the same day? Of course he has to buy me presents – the law says we have to get each other presents on our birthdays and anniversaries – but it's nice of him to get two of them, anyway. And they're really pretty, too."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed. "They're great. They show thoughtfullness, caring, warmth. Love."

Hermione's head jerked up so fast, she nearly broke her neck. "What did you say?" she demanded sharply. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Ginny grinned at her mischievously, and Hermione was suddenly impressed that Ginny was saying something she had been thinking about long before.

"It's pretty damn obvious," said Ginny. "You should see his face when he looks at you! You're the only one who is blind enough not to see it. It's so clear from his face. It was like that with Ron too, you know. How it took him more than five years to realize that something was going on between you two? Well, it's vice versa with you and Draco now, because Draco knows exactly what's going on, and you're the fool who insists that nothing is."

Hermione glared at her. "Don't be ridiculous, Ginny. There's _nothing_ going on between me and Draco. Not like that, anyway. He is not my type, I think we've already settled this. Last year I kind of liked him. You know, when we had sex every other night? But I've got over it already and I feel nothing of the sort about him now."

Ginny simply grinned at her, and Hermione got more annoyed with each second. "Don't grin at me like that, Ginevra Weasley! I have absolutely no feelings for Draco, understand?"

"Of course," said Ginny indifferenly. "Whatever you say."

"Good," Hermione snapped, getting up to leave.

"Just remember," Ginny called after her, "if there's ever anything you want to tell me... I'll be there to hear it!"

----

October and November flew by and Amy was becoming smarter and more beautiful every day. At the beginning of December Hermione's four-month vacation was over, and she had to go back to her Auror training. Narcissa had promised to look after Amy in the mornings.

They were happy days indeed; Draco was sure he was the only one who felt there was something missing from his life, the only thing that prevented him from being completely happy. It was Hermione. Hermione was there always, so clever and witty and sexy, and not his. She was not his, and apparently had no intentions to be, and this thought was breaking his heart.

It was one stormy night in the middle of December; Draco and Hermione were already in bed, listening to the storm outside. Amy was asleep.

"You'll never guess whom I met at lunch today," Hermione said.

"Great," Draco muttered with not much interest. He was to cuddled and warm and sleepy to even pretend he cared.

But Hermione didn't seem to notice his tone. "I was eating lunch with Harry and Ron at the cafeteria when _he_ came in," she went on.

Draco suddenly opened his eyes and turned around quickly to face her. "Who's _he_?" he demanded, almost shrilly.

"You won't believe it. I didn't either. It was Viktor."

Draco didn't get her at first. "Viktor? Who's Viktor?"

"Oh, come on now, you know who Viktor is," said Hermione. "Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker..."

Draco wasn't even aware of what was happenning next. The name _Viktor Krum_ rang in his ears. He remembered it as if it had been yesterday. The Yule Bole in their fourth year; Hermione had looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her before, and she was accompanying Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion.

"...and then I asked: 'But what on earth are you _doing_ here?' And he said he had been hoping to talk to me, because he was now working in the Bulgarian Department of Magical Games and Sports, and he was here on business, and had heard my name when he happened to talk to my trainer..."

"So he was there to see you?" Draco repeated slowly.

"Yeah, can you believe it?" said Hermione. "I was pretty surprised too, I mean, we hadn't been in touch since I started to date Ron in our sixth year – when I told him about that, he kind of drifted away. But he's back now." And she smiled mischievously.

"Is-is he?" said Draco, trying to sound politely interested.

"Yeah. He promised to come next week as well. So I'll see him again. Isn't it great?"

"Oh yes, real great," said Draco, feeling the heat in his cheeks. "Night."

"Hey – " Hermione looked surprised, "is there a problem?"

"No, of course not," Draco muttered. "Good night."

Hermione fell asleep quickly, but Draco lay awake for another long hour, staring up at the ceiling, thinking...

----

The following week, as they were about to get into bed, Draco asked the question that had been bothering him all day:

"So," he said casually. "Met _Viktor_ lately?"

"Oh yes," said Hermione, immediately starting to grin. "He came to my trainer's office today and actually waited outside until we were finished."

"What did he want?" Draco asked, trying, just like the last night, to wear an expression of mere polite interest, with no success.

"Just to chat. We sat and talked for hours or so. My trainer had to finish early, he had to pick up his son, so I had some time."

"Indeed?" said Draco, pretending to be totally indifferent to this. "So, how is he? He must be pretty old by now, isn't he?"

"He's twenty four years old," said Hermione with slight surprise.

"Oh. Well." Draco fell silent for a moment, but went on quickly. "Grumpy as ever, I suppose, is he?"

"No, not at all!" said Hermione enthusiastically. "He was really nice, cheerful and all. And he looked really happy to talk to me again."

"But _what_ did he want to talk to you about?" Draco demnaded impatiently.

"Oh, just normal stuff at first," said Hermione, suddenly flushing. "Then..."

"Then what?" said Draco quickly. There was a pause. "What did he _say_?"

Hermione glanced at him, looking quite uncomfortable. "He asked if I was still with Ron."

_Figures_, Draco thought. "And?" he said.

"And, I told him I had broken up with Ron more than two years ago. And then he... well... he sort of asked me out." Hermione said these last words very quietly, but Draco heard them anyway.

_Should have known,_ he said immediately to himself, _don't overreact, it was obvious._ But he still felt all the blood in his body rush to his face. Krum wanted Hermione back. It was so obvious. Why had he, Draco, tried to convince himself it wouldn't happen, sooner or later? Hermione was young, attractive and clever. _What does he see in her? Well, obviously, exactly what _I_ see in her. She's too easy to fall in love with._

_But she's married,_ Draco thought desperately, _they couldn't possibly ant to get serious..._

And then he felt even worse, when he remembered the law stating clearly that Hermione could get a divorce on one condition: if she found another pureblood wizard to marry.

Krum was a pureblood. Draco remembered that from reading about him when he had been one of his fans, back in his schooldays.

Technically, Hermione could leave him now and marry Krum, and she would probably take Amy with her too, and he would have to find another Muggle-born and marry her.

It was over. Everything was over.

But he had to ask. He had to make sure he was not just ruining his life for no reason. "So, what did you tell him?" he asked, not even bothering to pretend he didn't care anymore.

"I... I told him about that law," said Hermione, "and I told him I was married."

"And?" said Draco.

"...and then he asked me if I was _happily_ married," said Hermione quietly.

Draco stared at her for a long time before asking: "And what did you say?"

Hermione didn't answer. She just looked at him with an unclear look in her eyes.

Draco had had enough. Very angrily, he went over to the closet and opened it. He took out a suitcase and threw it on the floor so it opened. Then he started throwing some clothes from the closet into the suitcase.

"Draco! Draco, what are you doing?" Hermione demanded.

Draco didn't bother to answer. He went straight to the bathroom, took his tooth-brush, tooth-paste and hair-jell and threw it into the suitcase as well. Then he closed it with a clicking sound, grabbed it and stormed out.

Hermione ran after him and caught him at the stairs. "Where are you going?" she demanded shrilly.

"I dunno," said Draco curtly. "I just know that I have to think. Alone. Don't wait for me."

"You're being ridiculous," said Hermione impatiently. "Just because Viktor asked me out? Is that why you've leaving?"

"I said I had to think," said Draco aggressively, shaking her off and storming down the stairs.

"Draco! Draco, wait!" Hermione managed to catch him up again when he had already got to the first floor. "This is so not what you're thinking!"

"You have no idea what I'm thinking," said Draco. "Let me go."

"You're leaving Amy like this? Not even a goodbye?" said Hermione firmly. "She's your daughter. She needs you. You can't just go away like this!"

"I'm not leaving Amy. I'll come and see her tomorrow when my mother's watching her," Draco snapped. "_Let me go_, Hermione."

"You can't just leave!" Hermione cried desperately. "You have to at least give me an explanation! Don't I deserve to know why you're leaving?"

"All right, fine," said Draco furiously, throwing the suitcase on the floor. "You want to know why I'm leaving? I'm leaving because I can't take this life anymore. I've had it with this."

"You've had it with what, exactly?"

"With living with you!" Draco yelled, not caring about hurting her feelings anymore. She had already hurt him too much. Then he remembered Amy was asleep. He drew out his wand, making Hermione flinch as if she thought he was about to curse her, and sound-proofed the room.

"Excuse me?" said Hermione loudly, getting very red in the face.

"That's right! I can't live with you anymore. I thought this was going to work out even though I've... never mind. I thought this was going to work. Well, it's not working. Goodbye."

"_What_ is not working?" Hermione yelled. "What on earth are you talking about? You have to explain!"

"I'm not explaining anything," Draco snapped.

"Oh yes, you are," said Hermione firmly, "because you know the Ministry is going to find out about this and make us both lose our jobs, and I deserve to know why I have to stop my training after a year!"

"Oh – so that's what you really care about!" Draco shouted back. "You don't care about me going away. You don't give a damn if I'm not going to be here. All you care about is your stupid Auror training. You would probably want me to go away if it didn't involve you having to stop the training, right? So you could bring _Viktor_ here instead?"

"What is this nonsense?" said Hermione, staring at him as if he were crazy. "What are you on about?"

"Oh, like I'm stupid," Draco snapped. "Like I didn't realize you'd agreed to go out with him. Like I don't know you said your marriage life was a living nightmare. Well, good news, Hermione," he said furiously, picking up the suitcase again, "your nightmare is over."

"You really think I agreed to go out with Viktor?" said Hermione in a strange voice.

"Oh, come on. Like a normal woman wouldn't agree to go out with him," Draco snapped. "He's the best Seeker in the world, isn't he? Plays for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team. And he's _so nice and cheeeeeerful_," he added, mocking Hermione's voice. "And he has his eye on you. So now you're telling me you _didn't_ agree to go out with him?"

"That's right," said Hermione, lifting her chin determinedly, although her bottom lip with quivering. "I didn't."

"And why on earth not?" Draco demanded.

And once again, Hermione gave him that look which he couldn't figure out. Going impatient, Draco turned away angrily and put his hand on the door handle. But Hermione pushed it off.

"What are you doing?" he reprimanded.

"You really don't know why I didn't agree?" Hermione asked, looking as though she were about to cry, making Draco uncomfortable even thought he was so mad.

"No, I don't," he replied.

"Well, I'll just tell you what I told him when he asked me why not," said Hermione, folding her arms over her chest angrily. "I told him I didn't agree because of you."

"Because you didn't want to hurt my feelings?" said Draco. "Oh, how very sweet of you."

"Just listen, will you?" said Hermione firmly. "I told him I couldn't go out with him because of you. Because I was married to you. Because you were my friend. One of my best friends in the world. Because you were too witty, and too funny, and too damn attractive for me to resist. Because I've known all along that you felt the same way. Because you were far too important to me. Because you're the only man in the world I could ever picture myself with. Because I hated you, and I was attracted to you, and I loved you all at once. That's why."

Draco just stood there, frozen in his place, unable to move an inch. He stared at her. This was too amazing to be true. She was telling him... was she actually telling him she felt the same way about him as he did about her? Was she? Was this not a dream?

"And I know you haven't become a sweet, innocent guy, and you never will either," Hermione went on. "You're still an idiot, and a git, and a scum. But I don't care about that, because I... because I love you, and I don't ever want to be with anyone else. So there."

She turned to leave.

"Hermione," said Draco.

"What?" said Hermione, turning around.

And then, out of the blue, without considering the consequences of his actions, without thinking of what might happen, without thinking at all, Draco did what he had longed to do for so long: he went over to her, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her.

The kiss was not long, but as Hermione whimpered against his lips and responded to his kiss, Draco tasted victory. Her hand slowly rising up to his hair, his arms slowly snaking around her and pulling her closer, they continued to kiss each other until they were out of breath.

Many kisses were soon to follow; kisses of bottled-up feelings, longing and yearning and loving. Growing deeper, and more passionate, Draco pushed her against the wall and pressed himself against her, feeling his whole body on fire.

"My God," Hermione murmured as the kisses finally grew softer and the relaxed a bit. "I've never thought this could actually happen to me."

"Yeah. I guess best friends do fall in love after all, huh?" Draco teased, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Guess so," Hermione grinned. "Believe it or not, I'm best friends with Draco Malfoy... I'm his wife... I've had his daughter..."

Draco chuckled. "And you also discovered that Draco Malfoy actually has feelings, for he is now head over heels for you. You probably found it shocking that I could even fall in love, don't you?" He grinned. "After all, I _am_ the world's greatest scum."

Hermione took a deep breath and looked into those beautiful, loving gray eyes.

"I know," she said, "and that's the way I love you."

**THE END.**

----

**A/N:** MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S OVER!!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! All right, give me a few minutes to relax. Okay. Okay. I'm calm.

God! It's over! It's finally over... my story is over. Oh my God – this has been the last chapter of Sleeping With the Enemy! Wow.

All right, a few things I've got to settle down before I run off to do my chores. I've had the best time in the world writing this. I think this has been my favorite story, and also my most successful one yet, judging by the reviews. Thanks a million to of all my devoted reviewers, I love you so much! You're the best reviewers one could wish for! Thank you!

Okay, now, I hope you've all forgiven me for being so slow on updates. My year is extremely busy and it's getting busier each day. I'm sure you understand, and thanks to everyone who stayed tuned and loyal to me and didn't stop reading my story and trusting me when I said I'd update.

If you have comments or suggestions of any kind, please let me know. I'd love to hear anything that pops to your mind, no matter what it is.

I think my next story will be about a pairing I've never tried before – James/Lily. I've already told you that, didn't I? Well, I'll give it a shot and see how it works. So I'll see you then. I won't stop writing, no matter what. Even if it takes me weeks, if you trust me, stay tuned.

Thanks again for a great time, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year! 2005 coming up! Kissing anybody at midnight tonight? Good luck with that... :-)

See ya in the next story!

Love you all so much,

Roni Black.

P.S.: I'm going to write an Epilogue. Don't abandon this story yet.


	22. Epilogue: The Honeymoon

**Sleeping With the Enemy**

**Epilogue**

"I missed you," Hermione whispered with a smile on her delicate face. "There was not one night that I didn't have to stop myself when I wanted to do..." she let her fingers trail his chest, "stuff."

"I can understand that," Draco grinned, taking her hand in his and kissing it. "It was completely mutual. How dumb were we, not to understand that?"

Hermione's eyes glittered mischievously in the dark.

"What?" said Draco.

"Well... it's just that, I knew," said Hermione shyly. "I knew you've been feeling the same way all along."

"You – you knew?" Draco stammered. "Then why – why didn't you – "

"Because I was afraid," Hermione whispered, smiling softly, her fingers now trailing his arm. "I was too afraid. I can't even explain it. I knew things would never be the same again, and I was afraid. It was good that we were friends, but what if we took the next step and it didn't work out? How would it affect our friendship? And what about Amy? I wanted to tell you, and every day I told myself: 'Today I'll tell him', but when I came home and saw you, I couldn't. I just couldn't."

She swallowed hard and went on: "But tonight... when you wanted to leave... I wasn't afraid anymore. The thought of you leaving was scarier than anything else. I knew... I knew I couldn't live without you, I just couldn't."

And Draco leaned in and kissed her, and she responded passionately, and the two of them sunk into the kiss, more and more until Hermione thought she was going to explode from the pleasure.

But in the middle of this passion, Draco paused for a moment, just to look into her eyes once more. "There's something I want to ask you," he whispered.

"Yes?" she whispered back.

Draco reached out and lit up the lamp on the bedside. Then he sat up, pulling Hermione up with him, and took a deep breath.

"Hermione," he whispered, "I always thought that when I get married, it would be with someone I love, and trust, and care about. Then, when we got married, I thought I was doomed to spend the rest of my life with my enemy, with someone who hated me more than anyone else. I knew I had a crush on you, but it was never going to work out. There was too much history, too much hostility between us. And I knew I had no chance.

"But then we grew closer. And we became friends. Hermione – I don't know if you know that, but I've never had real friends before. I'm serious. No one in the entire world has ever been my friend. And I couldn't help but loving you for being my friend even though I was giving you such a hard time, and then – it became more than just friends' love. I tried to avoid it, but it only got stronger."

Hermione gazed at him, fascinated, touched, shivering with pleasure at his words, as he went on...

"And now that I've told you 'I love you' and kissed you, kissed you for real, not for technical baby-making, I know," he whispered. "I know you're the one for me. I know you are the only one who could make me happy. I want to spend all my life with you, and love you every single day, and raise Amy and have other babies with you. Because you're the only one I have ever been able to love."

Draco leaned in closer, till Hermione could feel his breath on her face. "I want more than a law-settled marriage, Hermione. I want us to be married because we love each other and want to be together, not because some stupid law says we've got to get married."

Hermione was elated. "Is that what you really want?"

"More than anything," he replied.

She smiled softly. "Me too," she said in a low voice.

Draco reached into a drawer and took out a small box. Very slowly, he opened it. Inside was the most beautiful ring Hermione had ever seen – silver with a big diamond, and some small red rubies circling it.

"I bought it a few months ago," he said, "and I've been waiting for the right moment to give it to you. Only the right moment never seemed to come. I cannot wait anymore. You are too good, and I love you way too much to let this marriage remain as it is. I want you to be married to me out of your own free will."

He stretched out his hand, holding the ring in front of Hermione.

"Hermione," he whispered, "will you be mine forever?"

And Hermione swallowed her tears, and looked deeply into his beautiful gray eyes. "Yes, I will," she said clearly. And as her tears finally streamed down on her cheeks, she let Draco place the ring on her finger, then leaned in and kissed him with all her heart and soul.

They kissed and cried and kissed some more, and as the kiss finally grew soft again, Draco pulled back a little and brushed some hairs off her face.

"You know what else I want?" he said.

"You have many wishes tonight," Hermione whispered, grinning.

"I know... guess what I want."

"What do you want?"

"I want a honeymoon," said Draco softly.

"W-what?" Hermione stammered.

"Yes. If we're now married out of love and free will, we deserve a honeymoon – don't we?"

"We do," said Hermione, smiling. "We definitely do."

"We can leave Amy with my mom," said Draco. "Then we're free to go wherever we want... The world is waiting for us. We can go anywhere."

"I don't care," Hermione whispered back, "I don't care where we'll go. As long as it's with you, I don't give a damn."

When he kissed her again, she let all her feelings wash over her as she responded passionately. All her passion from such a long wait was now intensified, and she leaned forward and placed her hands on his hips. Soon they were lying down, Draco on top of her, kissing her with more passion than ever, then letting his lips travel down to the familiar warmth of her neck, her collarbone and then her cleavage.

"God," Hermione groaned, as she began to have the familiar feeling that any clothes involved were completely unnecessary. Instinctively, she allowed her nimble fingers to pull off his shirt, then trail down to his pants. Draco breathed sharply through his nose and she could feel his body shivering against hers with pleasure and lust.

"I love you," he murmured as he slowly reached out and unbuttoned her nightgown. He let slid off and buried his face in her neck again, which caused Hermione to moan and pant with pleasure while her fingers were playing with his hair.

Their need intensified, and soon enough they found themselves naked and more aroused than ever. And as Draco's lips trailed up back to hers, their bodies clung together and the next thing they knew – they were riding waves, waves of passion, waves of lust, and as they kissed once more, their kiss was deeper than ever and the two of them drowned in the sea – the sea of love.

-

"France it is," Hermione murmured in awe as she looked around.

"Paris, to be exact," Draco chuckled. "I remembered you telling me you'd been to France when you were thirteen. Great place. When I was here the first time I was about seven or eight, and I can still remember that even then I could understand how romantic this city was."

"The perfect place for a perfect honeymoon," Hermione agreed.

And indeed it was. Two weeks of honeymoon passed like a dream. During the days, the two of them traveled all around France, not caring about the rain and the snow. On the contrary – the snow made everything even more romantic.

Hermione was a little surprised, as she mentioned to Draco one evening, to find that he could be so romantic himself. Every day he surprised her with something new – a present, a trip to a new place, a beautiful love song he wrote for her.

"Because you're just not the type," she explained.

"You're right," he said, "I'm not. So you'd better take advantage of the situation as it is now, because it's bound to change back to normal soon."

But there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and Hermione couldn't help but laughing as she nudged him playfully.

The very last night of the honeymoon was also the last day of Christmas, and the two of them were sitting out on the balcony of their hotel room, Hermione's head on Draco's shoulder, both watching the snow.

"I've made a decision," said Draco suddenly.

"What?"

"Guess what's the first thing I want to do when I come home?"

Hermione raised her head and grinned at him. "Run to Amy and kiss her all over after you haven't seen her for two weeks?"

"Of course. But that not what I meant."

"Buy a present for your mother for watching over Amy all this time?"

"Yes. But that's still not what I meant."

"Hmm..." Hermione thought deeply. "How about that... you accept the fact that your mom and Severus are going to get married?"

"Excuse me?" said Draco, jumping to his feet. "What did you say?"

Hermione gazed at him. "Oops."

"'Oops'? What do you mean, 'oops'?" Draco demanded.

"Umm... well... boy, your mom is going to kill me. I wasn't supposed to tell you, but if you already know..." Hermione cleared her throat. "Well, yes. They're engaged."

"How – when – "

"About a week before we went away. Severus proposed, and she accepted."

"I can't believe it," Draco mumbled angrily.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked worriedly, searching for his eyes. "That's exactly why she hasn't told you yet. She knew you were going to be upset. But you have to think about it that way... your mom is happy now. She's finally happy. She hasn't been happy since she was about seventeen or eighteen, when her parents forced her to break up with Severus and marry your father. And now she's happy. Don't you want your mom to be happy?"

"How do you know all that?" Draco demanded.

"She told me. She asked me to help her tell you later, when it was the right time."

Draco sat back down quietly.

"Think of it this way..." Hermione's voice said in his ear, "Your mom and Severus are now happy like we are. Everyone deserves this happiness... everyone deserves to be with their only one, as you said it."

"I guess you're right," Draco said numbly.

"I'm cold," he said after a few minutes. "Come here."

Hermione moved closer, wrapping her arms around him, clinging onto him.

"Thank you," he whispered as he pulled her closer. "I'm okay now. But thank God you were the one to tell me... if my mom had told me herself, I would've probably exploded. I would've yelled and hurt her feelings."

"And now?"

"Now I won't. Now I'll do my best to be happy for her. You're right," he said, hugging her tight, "if that's what she feels like, then I won't ruin it for her. Everyone deserves this."

His face was suddenly so close to hers. "Thank you," he whispered and kissed her.

Hermione's lips curved into a soft smile, and they sat together quietly for a moment.

Than Hermione asked: "So... what _is_ the first thing you're going to do when you come home?"

And Draco looked at her, grinning, and answered: "I have never been so thankful in my life... I'm so glad I have you in my life. And you know whom I owe it to?"

"Whom?"

Draco's grin widened. "As soon as we get home," he said slowly, emphasizing every word, "I'm going to send flowers and a special thank-you card to Charles Payton, Minister of Magic."

"...and so it ends," Hermione finished, smiling at the old man sitting in front of her. "My story is finished. You have no reason to ever worry about me ever again. I'm as fine as I ever will be."

Dumbledore smiled back, and his smile was warmer than ever. "You have no idea how happy this makes me. I have indeed been extremely worried about you. I knew how unhappy this marriage made you."

"At first," Hermione admitted. "But now I'm happier than I've ever been. So thank you for everything, Professor." She got up, gave him one last smile, and than vanished through the door.

The old man sitting behind the desk folded his fingers and watched the door close. "Yes, yes," he mumbled quietly, smiling softly to himself, "just as I have predicted, isn't it? Perhaps I should replace Sybill... Anyway, what have I once said to Harry? My brain surprises even me sometimes."

**The End.**

-

**Author's Note:**

I am planning to continue writing more stories, perhaps the Lily/James I've promised, but I won't have a lot of time to do that, as you probably understand. But a big thank-you to all the sweet reviewers who stayed tuned and never abandoned this story! Crazy12, Luver-of-Tom, burgundyred, invisible2u and a lot of others. If I didn't write you it's only because I'll never finish. Thank you so much.

And thus, my friends, _Sleeping With the Enemy_ really ends. Now you tell me – was the long wait worth it, or not?

Love,

Roni Black.


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